Latest update September 15th, 2026 10:20 AM
The crime problem
Kaieteur News – It has gone almost unnoticed, drowned out by the political noise and the oil headlines, but the daily reports of murders, robberies, and other violent crimes in Guyana should jolt every citizen to attention. The statistics may be debated, but the reality on the ground cannot be denied: the nation is facing an escalation in violence that is claiming lives, spreading fear, and eroding trust in the capacity of the state to protect its people.
In just the past months, the country has witnessed a spate of murders and attempted murders. The most prominent was the brutal shooting of popular cosmetologist Lolita Callendar known as Lola Doll. But hers was not an isolated case. Almost daily, the pages of this newspaper carry stories of men and women gunned down in robberies, assaulted in their homes, or cut down in disputes that spiral out of control. Citizens are left to wonder: who will be next?
At his inauguration, President Irfaan Ali pledged to “kill domestic violence.” It was a bold and necessary promise. Yet with street robberies and murders rising, the President may now have to broaden his vow to killing crime itself. For what use is economic growth, oil wealth, and grand development if citizens cannot walk the streets in safety or sleep at night without fear of armed intrusion?
Attorney General Anil Nandlall admitted last year that “the Government is not comfortable with the level of crime and violence in the society and that is no secret.” He pointed to new legislation and stiffer penalties. But as we argued before, laws alone are not enough. Guyanese have heard the same assurances for years—promises of a multifaceted approach, of better intelligence, of stronger patrols. Yet the daily tide of crime continues unabated.
The heart of the matter remains a Police Force that too many citizens view as compromised. Bribery scandals, corruption, and incompetence have hollowed out trust. How can people feel secure when those tasked with protecting them are themselves repeatedly caught in acts of extortion, collusion, or simple neglect? It is no wonder that some victims do not even bother reporting crimes.
Illegal guns flow freely across our porous borders. Ask any community and residents will tell you of their fear, not just of criminals, but of the sheer number of weapons circulating. As an earlier editorial in this newspaper warned, “it is this endless tide of guns that is present in local society, and that are clearly on the streets and primed for action.” Unless the State moves aggressively to intercept, sweep, and disarm, the mayhem will only deepen.
Random sweeps and surprise operations must become the norm. The Guyana Police Force cannot wait for reports; it must take the fight to the streets. Each firearm seized is one less tool for murder and intimidation. Each criminal encounter must end with the message that lawlessness has consequences. Severe jail terms must accompany convictions to send an unmistakable signal.
But enforcement alone is not the solution. Crime thrives where poverty, hopelessness, and weak institutions intersect. Our leaders cannot pretend that gleaming oil revenues will fix crime if the young, the poor, and the marginalised feel abandoned. Without opportunity and fairness, the lure of the gun will remain strong. President Ali must now confront this crisis with the urgency it deserves. Crime is not a side issue; it is the daily terror stalking Guyanese households. It is the question whispered in every home: will my family be safe? Development cannot be measured only in roads built or oil barrels pumped, it must also be measured in how secure citizens feel in their own country. If the President is serious about killing domestic violence, let him also declare war on this rising tide of crime. Let him demand a clean, accountable Police Force. Let him insist on real strategies, not ad hoc sound bites. Let him stand before the nation and say: crime will not claim this country’s future. For until Guyanese are free from the dread of murder and robbery, every other promise of progress will ring hollow.
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