Guyanese abroad question police top brass about safety and security in Diaspora Unit’s meeting

May 27, 2022 Letters

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Dear Editor

Overseas Guyanese peppered the Police top brass with questions about safety and security in the recent Diaspora Unit’s zoom meeting. About 165 persons from different countries joined the meeting, and there were more questions than answers, as time ran out before all questions could be addressed.
Clearly, Guyanese abroad are following very closely what’s happening in the homeland. The Government says it wants Guyanese abroad to return to Guyana and has organized these connection meetings. It is not known what success the effort is yielding. The foremost consideration for Guyanese being asked to come back home to Guyana is whether Guyana is safe and secure or am I coming back to be robbed or killed? So, it was not surprising that after listening to the Acting Police Commissioner for 80 minutes of presentation that almost all the questions were about safety and security of Guyanese if they were to return.
I must note that I wrote a letter on May 21, 2021 (SN), “The Diaspora website is woefully outdated,” but very little has changed since, despite promises that they were working on a new website. Links do not work, the news is from 2019 including Mr. Granger’s news, some ministry links do not work, etc. It’s hard to work with these Government people who ignore good advice, and do not follow up. You wonder if these people really care about diaspora engagement or whether they are just looking for pro-Government supporters. Here are some questions posed and comments made by Guyanese abroad to the Police Commissioner’s team: Will Police give some priority for Diasporans to acquire firearms, since they carry a bullseye on their backs? If I want to remigrate to Guyana to open a business, is it possible to apply for a firearm Licence from the Consulate General’s office in Canada, and have the Licence approved before going to Guyana?
Can the Commissioner address the processing time for a Firearms Application since I have had to file a New Application after being told that the First Application was lost in the system. In the West Coast Berbice unrest, some Indian diasporans going to the airport were pulled out of vehicles and brutalised and their vehicles burned. Why did the Police not charge anyone although there were lots of videos identifying the perpetrators? This failure to act is not a drawing card for Diasporans to return and be involved.
How about more cameras in the regions, which are rural? Spend money to put up more cameras all over the regions. That’s a greater priority than a stadium in Berbice. Many crimes have been solved because of video footage from private homes. Subsidise security equipment and remove VAT. Why have the top brass of the Guyana Police Force stopped holding regular press engagements where questions can be asked about pressing and unsolved matters? If the objective is to be transparent and informative, shouldn’t these press engagements be resumed? In the past these engagements were very constant and informative. Now the top brass seems afraid to face the press.
What are your recruitment and retention strategies for hiring a competent diverse workforce?
What enforcement strategies are in place to combat speeding, loud distractive noises from boom box playing at very high decibel, unlicenced drivers, drunkenness? Many loved ones are losing their lives.
What is the Commissioner of Police and his team doing to stop bribery and corruption in the police force? If fighting crime is a PPP priority, why is the Police lab not properly equipped to do simple testing such as cyanide test? Why is it we always read that samples have to be sent abroad? We can develop those capacities especially if we get more funds from renegotiated oil contracts? Can the Police do DNA testing now?
Do you have a modernization technology roadmap to consolidate criminal data into a single repository for traceability and near real-time of criminal intelligence and reporting? The bicycle bandits, motorcycle bandits creating havoc. Needs to be a specific plan for this type of crime. Cameras strategically placed have been helpful. Spend more on cameras. Encourage businesses to use security systems. Why would they not see that as important?
We don’t have enough vehicles, and Govt. giving away the oil income to the oil companies. Don’t you think renegotiation of oil contracts and resources for security and safety are related?
Diasporans want to be able to trust that the Police will be professional, not take bribes, not giving you the run around, not playing favorites with money people or political people. Continue to work on building that trust. If people contact you, return their call and answer their emails. Put your PR people to work. I contacted them on a matter – no response.

I think this issue of communication-accountability is systemic. Many government agencies (past and present) seem to be handicapped by the absence of any centralized information system. I have worked in government where there is an information system called My Agent is used: it tracks what is reported, to whom, when it is scheduled for response etc. so that public accountability is enhanced. This is perhaps a solution the government can consider generally, not just for members of the diaspora, but Guyanese home, who should be the foremost beneficiaries. There needs to be a reinventing of Govt. in Guyana in all Ministries, agencies. The Police still uses the station book, I believe. This is the information age. Solutions are available. Diasporans can help. Try to call a Govt. agency and see who would respond to you? Not sure how serious the Govt. is about Diasporan engagement. Mostly talk, and you better be pro-Government.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall

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