-stray animals, unlicensed businesses among issues addressed
GOVERNMENT, through the National Commission for Law and Order (NCLO), continues to consult with citizens across the country to address their concerns and garner their inputs on ways to improve the quality of their lives, particularly as it relates to security.

Recently, Ministers of Home Affairs and Transport and Hydraulics, Clement Rohee and Robeson Benn respectively, along with Capt. Gerald Gouveia from the Private Sector Commission (PSC), met with residents of Zealand and other neighbouring villages at Mahaicony where residents were given the opportunity to discuss issues that are affecting them as well as make recommendations.
The Government Information Agency reported that among the concerns raised by the residents include petty crimes, noise nuisance, operation of unlicensed businesses, poor police responses, stray animals and other encumbrances on the public road, deteriorating state of the Mahaica old bridge, and exploitation under the guise of Value Added Tax (VAT).
Minister Rohee said most of the issues that were raised by the residents are not unique to Zealand but rather they are the same issues that are being faced throughout the country.
He enlightened the residents that noise nuisance is an offence that is punishable by law and urged them to work with the police to address such occurrences.
Minister Rohee urged the formation of Community Policing Groups (CPGs), within which selected persons could receive the appropriate training to act in the capacity of Supernumeraries and Rural Constables (RCs) to assist the police in maintaining law and order in communities.
He reminded that the amendment to the Pounds Act, which was recently passed in the National Assembly provides for an increase in fees for stray catchers from $1000 to $5000 and urged residents to seize the opportunity to take up jobs as stray catchers.

This, he said, would reduce stray animals on the roadways.

He also said the Home Affairs Ministry is working collaboratively with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to combat the issue of shops that are operated illegally.

He asserted that all illegally operated shops have to be closed down.

With regards to shopkeepers exploiting residents under the guise of VAT, Minister Rohee reminded that Government published a list of items on which VAT is exempted.

He cautioned them against paying VAT on zero-rated items and urged them to familiarise themselves on such items.
“We have to be able to put our foot down as individuals and as citizens of a country,” he stressed.
Responding to some of the concerns, Minister Benn encouraged the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), the police and the Regional Chairman to continue to be assertive with respect to executing their responsibilities since the first stroke of intervention lies within the purview of the local authorities.
With regard to encumbrances on the roadside, the Minister said the unit that is tasked with dealing with this issue is very small and, as such, it may not be able to address specific issues on a day-to-day basis unless it has direct or immediate safety impacts.
He also pointed out that whenever Government undertakes large infrastructural projects, citizens have a role to play in ensuring that basic national and international standards are adhered to so that optimum benefits could be derived.
On the issue of the Mahaica old bridge, he said that currently, engineers are examining the most practical solution, that is, whether it should be closed off to heavy-duty traffic or whether it should be a bridge for pedestrians only.
Representing the Private Sector, Gouveia said the Commission is a body that spreads across Guyana to formulate policies that seek to improve the daily lives of all Guyanese.
He urged the police to be more proactively involved in the community so that they can effectively solve community-related conflicts that would arise from time to time.