Despite calls from the private sector and the opposition for soldiers to be deployed to beat back armed criminals, government is maintaining that the military should only be put on the streets when the state is under threat.

This is according to Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman during a post-Cabinet media briefing Thursday at Ministry of Presidency. He said the Defence Act Chapter 15:01 states the specific use and deployment of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

“It is only if the State is under threat, sometimes that threat is as a result of criminal or other violent activities within the State that the army shall be deployed, we may see some confidence building patrols where members of the army may go alongside the police, but at this point and time we don’t believe that there is any threat to the state that should see the deployment of the army,” the Minister of Natural Resources explained.

Private Sector spokesman on security, Captain Gerry Gouveia on Monday said that members of the GDF should join the fight against crime. Speaking at a forum on Christmas policing, Captain Gouveia said that although he is resolutely against the army being involved in crime-fighting, in a small country like Guyana, the time is right for the Guyana Defence Force to become so involved.

“I think the army needs to join the fight under the police command, and there should be an increased presence (of army personnel) in armed patrols, especially where the crime statistics show (crime) happening,” he said.

“When people lack confidence, they start taking the law into their own hands,” he cautioned.

Government, over the weekend, deployed the military in a 48-hour operation to counter a “potential domestic security threat”. That operation saw ranks from both the GPF and the GDF conducting massive raids at the Georgetown and New Amsterdam prisons. Several contraband items were found during those raids. Reflecting on this operation Trotman said if threats posed by the prisons are not handled properly then it becomes a national security threat and the army was summoned for that purpose.

Minister Trotman said the sight of women and men in green in patrol should not be a regular feature and at this “point and time though the trends show higher incidents of crimes with firearms, we don’t believe that they pose a threat that warrants the use of the military.”

Further, he said Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan presented a report to Cabinet on crime and security statistics with plans to address such in the Christmas season.  He said Minister Ramjattan highlighted the plans which the Guyana Police Force will implement to combat crime. “Cabinet expressed its continued concern about the high incidence of criminal activity across the country and urged the Minister to intensify efforts to address the issue,” Trotman noted.

During the raids on the prisons the lawmen confiscated from the Georgetown Prison 22 cellular phones; 558 grams marijuana; nine packets of cigarettes; eight cellular phone chargers; a quantity of zip lock bags; 45 lighters; a quantity of bamboo wrappers; a quantity of wine; 21 weapons; four cellular phone batteries; one arrow; two pairs of scissors; $300 cash; TT$200; four grabber hooks; five gallons of home-made wine; 20 razor blades; five sim cards and one tattoo machine.