Happy with the work of our police

Apr 07, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

The ramifications of ‘880 rounds of ‘ammo’ found in Buxton’ are very far-reaching, and I take my ‘hat off’ to the Guyana Police Force. I scanned the news and I noted that the police actually uncovered the cache during a response to a domestic violence report (this in itself is to be commended) from a resident in Buxton Library Road, East Coast Demerara. The details show that the various ranks, at the time, were really attending to an allegation involving threats linked to domestic violence. So, they visited the home of the suspect, a 26-year-old security officer, whose wife, is really a colleague, a 22-year-old security officer. On the light side, this is good stuff for a detective novel, but on the serious side, I heap kudos on the Guyana Police Force, and especially the Vigilance Police Station for being prompt, appropriate and intuitive. I am also happy to note that the police were not interrupted by the villagers as they conducted their investigations.

Let me remind all of us that gun crimes (I mean anything related to guns) are serious due to the high potential for lethal and debilitating injuries, the psychological trauma they inflict on victims and communities, and the significant economic and societal costs they impose. Thus, the countermeasures must be quite matching, and I was happy to recall that the Guyana Government is indeed cognisant of this.

For example, in Budget 2025, a whopping $108.7 billion was earmarked for the security sector. Just compare this with the 2024 allocation of $5.2 billion. In terms of the breakdown, $4.7 billion of this is for infrastructural needs of the police force. This includes $1.7 billion designated for the ongoing construction of the Brickdam Police Station and $1 billion for the completion of several police stations and posts across regions such as Imbotero, Bonasika, Leguan, San Souci, and others. Additionally, $597 million has been allocated for a modern police training academy at Dora, along with upgrades to multiple police stations.

There is no need for me to go through the finer details, but suffice to say, security measures must never be compromised. We all know that when a police force becomes non-functional, a community will start to experience a breakdown in law enforcement, potentially leading to increased crime, a lack of public safety, and a breakdown of order, requiring drastic alternative solutions to maintain order and address public safety needs. Good citizens worldwide crave for an effective police force.

Where Guyana is concerned, gun-related violence and crime, including armed robbery, murder, and carjacking, are serious problems in Guyana, with a surge in gun-related crimes and the police seizing a record number of firearms in 2024. Thuse there must be no slacking up.

In this regard too, of staying on top of crimes, the plan is unfolding as enhancing the mobility and responsiveness of the police force is something ongoing. I recall from the said Budget 2025 that the plan entailed the procurement of a diverse range of vehicles, which include 169 motorcycles, 163 pickups, and 104 additional vehicles, as an additional $2 billion was to further expand the force’s transport fleet. Buttressing this physical aspect was that there was the catering for training. with over 9,000 police ranks receiving skills training to improve their capabilities in crime prevention and investigation. That was why some $250 million was designated for specialised training in 2025, including partnerships with international law enforcement agencies.

Overall, I am very optimistic in the direction of the force as I can see visible evidence of marked growth and improvement in the government’s investment of $108.7 billion. The dedication is there towards enhancing national security through improved infrastructure, community engagement, advanced technology, and robust training programmes across the security sector.

This ‘busting’ in Buxton is about people and safety. People can get nervous, but the reprieve was good as ‘A total of 880 rounds of .22 ammunition were counted and lodged as evidence.” Now as the investigation remains active, we await its culmination. Even now, I think that potential criminals, and the hidden ones are getting the message that the Force is utilising government’s resources most appropriately,

Yours truly,

Hargesh B. Singh

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