…but acknowledges there is room for improvement in public safety and security
In his defence of the 2011 Budget yesterday, Acting Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Clement Rohee, insisted that there is no breakdown in law and order in Guyana, and called the claim “absurd,” but acknowledged that there is room for improvement in public safety and security. People’s National Congress Reform – One Guyana (PNCR-1G) Member of Parliament, Mrs. Deborah Backer, in her presentation last week, had lashed out at what she called the “sameness of it all,” in light of the continuing incidents of domestic violence, murders and other forms of carnage.
Backer called for there to be no micro-managing of the disciplined forces, but Rohee maintained that the claim of micro-management is misplaced, and based on the biased views of particular individuals.
The Opposition MP charged that the current administration was “petulant and non-receptive” to recommendations that did not emanate from the Office of the President or Freedom House.
Among her recommendations was the need for the Home Affairs Ministry to develop innovative ways to curb certain behavioural patterns that lead to the breakdown, she described, in law and order.
At that, the Home Affairs Minister made it clear that the investments being made have paid off and he linked the massive investments in the other sectors as having an effect on the security situation in Guyana.
The benefits, he explained, of the investments in Health, Education, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) translate to developments which improve public safety and security.
Backer stressed that more needs to be done so that Guyana can break free of the cycle it seems trapped in, otherwise the “elusive dream” of improving public security will never be achieved.
She pointed to the murder of the returned Guyanese, Mr. Ramodit Roopnarine, and the brutal murder of 16-year-old Neesa Gopaul, which she said are “stains” on the country.
Backer stressed that some issues, particularly domestic violence, must be treated as emergencies.
“We are not on top of things…this is a national issue,” she said.

Backer pressed that the current administration should be open and understanding of the fact that they do not have all the ideas, no one does, and sometimes the best solutions come from John Public.
“No one should be excluded,” she said.
The Home Affairs Minister debunked the notion that the current administration does not consider the views of all Guyanese.
He pointed out that on any one day there are government ministers and other workers meeting with the average Guyanese and taking on board their concerns, whether it is an election year or not – all reflective of a participatory developmental process.
To this end, he stressed that the 2011 Budget is for the people.
In the past year, the security sector saw, among other things, an expenditure of $14.2B on institutional strengthening, capacity building, infrastructural works and equipment; $527.9M on the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of security buildings and infrastructure, and $580.8M was spent on the acquisition and maintenance of vehicles.
In 2011, $15.9B is allocated for the sector: $1.1B will be provided for improving infrastructure and buildings including the construction of a modern forensic laboratory and firefighting training school, new fire stations at Mahaica and Diamond, $140M will be expended on training our security forces, and $662.2M is allocated for the purchase of vehicles, including trucks, pick-ups, fire tenders and buses, among other interventions.
The modernization of the Justice Administration system is also a major focus area.
Rohee said the backlog of cases expected to be addressed will effect an overall improvement, coupled with the investments.

Opposition Failure
He stated that the Opposition has failed to rise above their “pettiness” and have not grasped the theme of the 2011 Budget – ‘Together – Building Tomorrow’s Guyana – Today.’
“We have heard the same thing every year…the general line is criticize everything, condemn everything, don’t recognize anything positive, create the impression that we are on the wrong path and create the impression that they know what is right for Guyana,” he said.
Rohee stressed that the budget is for the people.
“It is all political…we understand that…as the PNCR has been failing year after year to convince the electorate that they have the correct policies for Guyana, it follows that we have been pursing the correct policies, since the electorate has been reposing confidence in us, ” he said.
He made it clear there is a connect to the people, reflected in this year’s budget, and that the current administration will continue to ensure that the Guyanese benefit from the expenditures passed in the National Assembly.
Rohee further added that the Guyanese people are no longer paying attention to the pantomimes of the PNCR, but rather are acknowledging the support offered by the current administration and are looking to access the same.
“There is something in there for them,” he posited.