Guyana gets equipment to dispose of obsolete weapons, ammunition
– will greatly assist to keep illegal weapons off the streets

GUYANA’S ability to remove obsolete ammunition has been boosted with the receipt of a hydraulic shears and a small arms ammunition burning tank which will be used for the destruction of obsolete and surplus weapons, ammunition and explosives.The two pieces of equipment were presented to Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) during a handing over ceremony at the Tactical Services Unit, Eve Leary, yesterday.
Following the signing of the handover document between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and UNLIREC, a Hydraulic Shears and Small Arms Ammunition Burning Tank for the destruction of obsolete and surplus weapons and ammunition were presented to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in an effort to curb the proliferation of illicit firearms in Guyana.

A demonstration was performed yesterday for the benefit of the attendees, which included Minister Rohee; Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips; United States Ambassador to Guyana, Mr Brent Hardt; Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell and the hierarchy of the GPF.
Senior Programme Officer, Public Security Programme, UNLIREC, Juliet Solomon, said she is here to mark the beginning of the joint implementation of the national action plan for the management and destruction of firearms, ammunition and explosives, developed in conjunction with Government following the baseline assessment conducted in July 2013.
She added that, unfortunately, Latin America and the Caribbean has the highest homicide and violence rate in the world. Nearly 80% of all homicides are committed with firearms which are trafficked illegally across borders, or are stolen from private or Government functionaries.
Solomon noted that Guyana, with its long borders and relatively small population, has its challenge in respect to effective stockpiling and periodically destroying small arms as per its reduction policy.
She pointed out that periodic destruction is the most effective means of ensuring arms do not find their way back on the streets and linked to criminal networks.
Solomon stated that it is in this context that the Government of Guyana requested support of UNRILEC in March 2013 under its stockpile management and destruction assistance package.
She said the set of hydraulic shears and small arms and ammunition burning tank the GPF received was to enable permanent technical capacity in respect to small arms and ammunition destruction in Guyana.

Solomon noted that both GPF and GDF personnel have been trained in the use and maintenance of the equipment, and UNLIREC will be back in February to conduct further training for the use of the equipment.
Ambassador Hardt, in his remarks, said UNRILEC was created in 1986 to render assistance and capacity building in Latin America and the Caribbean in disposing of their surplus arms and ammunition and reduce their stockpile.
He also spoke of the collaborative effort of the US and Guyana to bring this project to fruition, and the work of UNRILEC in a broader agenda for other major projects, including the Caribbean Security Basin Initiative (CBSI) in the illicit firearms trade.
Hardt was, however, pleased with the cooperative effort, and expressed his satisfaction yesterday.
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, in the feature address, said that preventative maintenance should be priority for the equipment, which he deemed very important to Guyana. He spoke of the success of the police on Wednesday when they found a cache of arms in South Ruimveldt and arrested two men.
He noted that it is with this in mind they are geared to take illegal firearms off the streets and effect the necessary process; and said the matter should be looked at in an integrated way, since our borders are porous and firearms are being trafficked into our jurisdiction.
As such, the Guyana Government has engaged in bilateral and international cooperation to ensure measures are in place to curb this practice, Rohee said yesterday.
Last June, Rohee had noted that while this move by Government was not necessarily a part of the security reform process, “it is part of bringing better management to our armories, whether they are in the Guyana Defence Force, Police Force, Municipalities or Prisons; wherever there may be a stockpile of firearms. The idea is to bring a better system of management, utilisation, and disposal of those (weapons and ammunition) that have become technically obsolete.”
UNILIREC provides support in several areas in terms of securing weapons’ stockpiles and managing them. Guidance is also provided in the broader context of legislation.
The UN Mission consists of Juliet Solomon (Team Leader), UNLIREC Senior Programme Officer (Caribbean), Stockpile Management and Destruction; and Peter Snow, Manufacturer’s Trainer (Hydraulic Shears).

(Michel Outridge)