PERSONS who are in possession of illegal arms and ammunition will still have a period within which to hand those over to the law-enforcement agencies, although much is not being mentioned about the move.Minister of Public Security, Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, told reporters on Friday that his ministry and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) are presently preparing operational matters with respect to the move.
He admitted that Commissioner of Police, Mr Seelall Persaud, has advised him that the process is not as easy as just inviting persons to surrender the arms and ammunition as he, Ramjattan, thought initially.
According to the minister, it was agreed that the process is something that needs to be properly thought through. He also stressed that while a lot of persons have criticised the move, saying that it will not stop gun violence, he believes that removing the number of guns on the streets is one of the factors that will contribute to the reduction of gun- related crimes.
Minister Ramjattan stressed that he intends to work on the move seriously and very soon it will become operational, even as the logistics have to be worked out with respect to where persons will send the guns and what are the requirements along with a whole host of other issues, before the process gets to the implementation stage.
Meanwhile, on the issue of piracy and the arming of fisherfolk while at sea, the Public Security Minister said the move is another one by his ministry which needs to be placed on hold, as many of the fishermen are against being allowed to carry arms and ammunition while at sea.
When asked by reporters about the Government’s position with respect to the issue, Minister Ramjattan stated that the suggestion is being criticised, not only by persons outside of the fishing industry, but by the fishermen themselves.
He added that the fisherfolk have decided to lobby the Government for more marine patrols while they ply their trade. However, Minister Ramjattan said increased patrols would be costly, and that was communicated to the fishers who want the patrols while they are in mid-ocean.
He stressed that they were informed that the best option the Government has at this time is to arm them.
“I told them that it’s too expensive and the other alternative is to arm them and whenever anyone comes to attack them, they can take care of themselves and a lot of them seem reluctant to do that,” Ramjattan explained.
He concluded that the next best option when it comes to patrolling the rivers and seas would be when Guyana finds oil.
“I don’t know what then will be the option; until such time when we find oil and we can have more patrol boats watching them while they fish, then we might not be able to.”
The Public Security Minister also mentioned an anti-piracy plan, which he was told does exist and he has asked that the plan be recovered and put into place, since it had been floated since 2013. Ramjattan also spoke of the need for the establishment of a marine wing of the Guyana Police Force.
Over the years, Guyanese fisherfolk have been killed, injured and even missing at sea as a result of piracy. It is something that has been a huge bugbear to the fishing industry and which has left several families devastated, some who to this day have not been able to find closure as their loved ones never returned home.
There are cases also where persons were arrested for committing piracy on their countrymen, while nationals from other countries have been fingered in the acts, which would see fishermen losing their catch, engines and other resources and items which they used in plying their trade.

By Leroy Smith