GCCI calls on GPF to adjust 'lax posture on crime'

GCCI calls on GPF to adjust ‘lax posture on crime’

Aug 05, 2023 News

…Says statistics depict lack of confidence in police rather than reduced criminal activities

Kaieteur News – The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Friday expressed “intense concern” about the country’s crime situation. In a statement, the body said that

“Whilst the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has posited that their official crime statistics indicate a decline in crime, the GCCI views this as not reflecting the reality of the prevailing circumstances”.

“Rather, and alarmingly so, the GCCI views the decline in official statistics as demonstrative of a loss in confidence in the GPF and reflective of an underreporting in criminal perpetration,” the statement said.

As a result, the Chamber of Commerce called on the GPF to “adjust its laxed posture on crime and, echoes the sentiments recently expressed by the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs, to clamp down on the lawless malaise existing in daily life.”

The Chamber said too that “lawlessness creates the conditions under which crime flourishes.”

“The GCCI remains extremely concerned that should criminal acts continue unabated, that a conducive environment for doing business in Guyana will begin to erode and loss or bodily harm of Guyana’s most valuable resource – its people – will be damaging to our prospects for economic development,” the statement concluded.

Last month, Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken announced that there was an overall 12.6 per cent decline in serious crimes for 2023, despite an increase in the number of murders that were committed during this period.

Hicken was delivering remarks at the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) 184th Awards Ceremony held at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary. He said that all other types of major crimes saw a decline except murder, which increased by 37 per cent when compared to the same period last year.

“Our days of sitting in offices are long gone; that is not contemporary policing. The public is who we were designed to serve. We were established to serve, and so you will continue to build those bridges and not put up barriers. Focus on serving the public, and you are going to be stymying most of the challenges we are getting,” the Commissioner said.

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he Honourable Minister of Home Affairs, The GCCI remains extremely concerned, The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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