Crime in Guyana is too high

Jan 03, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

According to the U.S. Department of State, Guyana is currently a level 3 country. This means one should reconsider traveling to the country. The GPF has made improvements over the last year in the crime statistics, but clearly, there is still a lot of room for improvement. When compared to other Caribbean and South American options, Guyana is less attractive as a tourist destination.

The Ministry of Tourism has been working hard to make the country more attractive for travellers and should be applauded for their efforts. However, the GPF is perceived as lacking resources to effectively handle the crime in the country. When I first read what the USA stated, the robbery of the tourist from the cruise ship came to mind. An isolated event, but it fits perfectly into what the advisory said about crime. Effectively preventing crime by stronger police presence around banks and at night, coupled with better police response to complaints are some of the steps that need to be taken. The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security appears to be in excellent hands and has started the country down a path towards preventing domestic violence.

The other area of concern is alcohol consumption, which has also been linked to numerous reported crimes. I still remember from my time in the industry the high level of rum consumption in Guyana. A sweeping assumption? No, a data supported fact. At the time, Guyana had the highest per capita consumption of rum. The GPF must establish an enforceable measure to ensure that both consumers and business owners partner to bring about the responsible drinking of alcohol. Businesses serving alcohol can help consumers adhere to consumption guidelines by stopping the sale of alcohol to those who are over consuming. According to Princeton University, our bodies can process one standard alcohol drink per hour. That’s one 12 ounce beer or a five ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof alcohol per hour. Another good practice is to establish a designated driver policy and restrict the presence of weapons on the premises. The festive culture of Guyana is such that it will also be necessary to have alcohol consumption checks at different locations around the road network.

The objective of our Nation should be to get to level 1 on the U.S Department of State’s advisory scale for travellers. I am sure that the Ministry of Home Affairs also has a strategy to further reduce crime and we must as responsible citizens help the Ministry successfully implement its plan. We must as a Nation work together to help improve both the reality and perception of the level of crime throughout the country. Willfully breaking the law or knowing of it being broken and not reporting it should be a thing of the past. We must as a people help by reporting known crimes. Respect for the police is also important and no one should be physically fighting with an honest police officer. These recommendations are just a few, but it will help place the country on the correct path to quickly reduce the crime that is negatively impacting the perception of our beautiful nation. I also encourage others who are passionate about making the life of our citizens safer to also put forward their ideas on how we can effectively reduce crime. Life is to be enjoyed. We have great weather, great food, great schools, great ecological attractions and the infrastructure is improving. Let’s also make it a great place to safely live.

Best regards,

Mr. Jamil Changlee

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