Latest update December 22nd, 2024 3:33 AM
Ramjattan willing to meet PSC on crime -but insists serious incidents down
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, says that he is willing to meet with the Private Sector Commission regarding their concerns about crime.
Khemraj Ramjattan
But he insisted that serious crime is down, while suggesting that stories on the front pages of the media might gave the perception that there is an upsurge.
“They constitute an important body of people and I would certainly meet them,’ Ramjattan said yesterday, in response to the PSC’s request for an urgent meeting with him and Commissioner of Police Leslie James.
“It seems that they don’t believe my statistics. Serious crime is down, but if you get it every day on the front pages…”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the PSC revealed that its Governance and Security Committee had met to address “the increasing and wide-spread public concern over the manifestly frightening and disturbing incidents of violent crime across the country.”
The release also stated that the Committee had decided to request a joint meeting with the Minister of Public Security and Commissioner of Police.
“While the Private Sector Commission acknowledges the most recent success of the police in confronting violent crime in Berbice and recognises the continuing efforts of the police to meet this growing challenge threatening the safety and wellbeing of every citizen, the Commission believes that much more can and should be done to meet this challenge.”
“The Commission is deeply concerned that insufficient progress is being made with regards to the implementation of Security Sector Reform.
“The Commission believes that there is considerable room for enhancement in intelligence gathering and analysis than is currently in place.
“The Commission is convinced of the need for significantly greater human and financial resources being placed at the disposal of the Police Force.
“The Commission believes that there is a much greater need for public confidence and trust in the Police Force,” the statement added.
“The Commission looks forward to a strong and uncompromising standard of leadership in our security forces.”
Police have regularly indicated a decrease in serious crimes, such as murder. But the police statistics have also showed an increase in armed robberies and incidents of break and enter.
Media outlets have also been highlighting an apparent surge in brazen robberies, including attacks in daylight.
They include the killing last month of moneychanger Prince William Alleyne, who was shot and robbed outside Ashmin’s Mall; the attack on the Z-One Chinese Supermarket at Albion, in which gunmen also shot at a police vehicle, and a spate of armed robberies at Bush Lot and other areas in Berbice.
Police later killed three gunmen who were linked to this crime spree.
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