A comparative glance at  the total reports of serious crimes committed in Guyana for the cluster of years 2000 to 2005 and 2006 to 2012, indicates that in the latter period there has been a  seven per cent reduction.

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee made this disclosure during his presentation at the recent Third National Economic Forum 2013 at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal,Greater Georgetown.
Minister Rohee said further that for the years 2000 to 2005, 28,471 reports of serious crimes were recorded by the Guyana Police Force, but for the years 2006 to 2012 the total reports were 26,467.
While there may have been fluctuations in the number of reports of specific categories of crimes during both periods, the fact remains that the latter period up to December 24, 2012 recorded a seven per cent reduction in reports, Minister Rohee stated.
He also pointed out to his audience, including Prime Minister Sam Hinds,  members of parliament and the private sector, that changes will be brought about with the implementation of a Strategic Plan for the Guyana Police Force (2013 to 2017).
This plan will see the establishment of a Strategic Management Department which will have oversight for the implementation of the plan.
He went on to state that the employment of 10 high-level civilian professionals in non-line positions within the Guyana Police Force will ensure a high degree of professional, technical and efficient inputs to guarantee implementation of the plan.
The Strategic Plan was drawn up by the UK-based Capita Symonds Consultancy in 2010, while the Implementation Plan was drawn up and commenced by the US-based Julian Laite Consultancy in February last.
The Home Affairs Minister also  acknowledged that “public safety and security is important for growth and development in any economy (and)  without security the country’s development will come to a halt.”
The Third National Economic Forum 2013 was  held under  the theme, “Promoting Economic Growth Through Innovation, Diversification and Partnership”.
Rohee  added that no country, especially Guyana, should take safety and security for granted. He observed that we are living in a society that is much more peaceful, much more politically stable and one  where citizens  have grown to understand each other much more as well as the institutions.
And he made reference to 50 years ago during the period  1962 to 1964 which  he considers a “terrible” time for Guyana when crime and other illegal activities were on the increase but he noted that Guyana has grown since that period at a tremendous rate and the crimes and illegal activities that were prevalent then do not occur now.
However, Rohee noted that “without public safety and security, crime will increase, drugs will appear more on our streets, citizens will not be able to walk freely on the roadways, anarchy, total lawlessness, rule of the unlawful rather than the law” would then become  the order.
He posed the question: “How can growth and development take place in such an environment?”  “It is impossible  for growth to happen in such conditions,” he asserted.
Therefore,  Rohee pointed out, Guyana and its citizens need to realise the importance of safety and security, whether it is national security or public safety and security.
The National Competitiveness Economic Forum 2013 concluded last Friday at the International Conference Centre.