I AM a resident of Lethem and I am very happy that the bandits who broke and entered the RDC’s office, killing one of our residents and carrying away millions of dollars have been caught and are now in prison awaiting their trial. They should be hanged. Let me congratulate the Lethem police as well as the police at Mabura.

But while I congratulate the police at Lethem, I do have some concerns about them which the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs and the Commissioner of Police ought to know in the interest of crime prevention and public security at Lethem.
Firstly, the police must interview all strange persons arriving at Lethem by aircraft and vehicles. This means that they have to be strategically positioned. Secondly, the police must conduct regular patrols by day and night and engage in intelligence- gathering. If things were done, one of our residents would have never been killed during a robbery at Lethem where the bandits from the coastland had ample time to assault the RDC’s office. Also, the police would have known where the bandits were staying and with whom they were associating at Lethem.
But reliable information is that the bandits were staying at the Cacique Guest House located in a slum at Lethem. This guest house must be regularly checked by the Lethem Police. The cutting implements used by the bandits in carrying out their robbery were found by the police at the residence of a known person who is called “Rasta”, but his name is “Marlon”. “Rasta” was taken into police custody but was released, which was shocking to the residents of Lethem. It is alleged that the police and “Rasta” are close associates and that they are even on his “payroll”. “Rasta” needs to be constantly monitored by the police.
Mr. Editor, this bit of intelligence needs to be urgently investigated by the Commissioner of Police who must order a removal of all the police ranks at Lethem. The residents of Lethem would be happy, I can assure you. It is simply not right when our Minister of Home Affairs is doing his best to improve the standards of the Police Force and there are elements within the said Police Force who are working against him, causing the public to have little confidence in the Guyana Police Force. I will continue my intelligence- gathering.