GUYANESE in the diaspora are reluctant to invest locally, given the upsurge in crime; and Government continues to seek international assistance to “break the back of crime.”

Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes was able to gather, from a recent visit to the ‘Last Lap Lime’ in Toronto, Canada, that the diaspora has reservations and concerns about revisiting and investing in their homeland, given the rise in crime.

She made this disclosure at last week’s post-Cabinet press briefing and deemed it “distressing” that, under the previous Administration, no effort had been made to visit events such as the one spoken above, and interact with Guyanese.

Every year, Guyanese from the United States, Canada, Caribbean countries and the local community intermingle with numerous non-Guyanese at the ‘Last Lap Lime’ in Toronto as a way of preserving the Guyanese culture. New York alone is home to approximately 140,000 Guyanese, who comprise the fifth largest group of immigrants in that North American city.

In excess of 4,000 Guyanese attended the ‘Last Lap’ event in Toronto, said Minister Hughes, and they all shared an age-old complaint — there is no room for investment in Guyana, unless they are business owners. The diaspora, Minister Hughes said, must disabuse itself of this notion.

Also making the visit at the ‘Last Lap’ event in Canada was Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who echoed sentiments that were similar to those of Minister Hughes.

“A lot of people indicated that they wanted to come home, and we have given them a commitment — which is that we will put together all of our possible resources necessary to ‘break the back of crime’,” Minister Harmon asserted.

He said the Administration has put in place a National Security Commission comprising ministers and leading dignitaries to review, on a weekly basis, crime statistics and the police methodology of fighting crime. That Commission would therefore assist in allocating resources to the police to aid in combating crime.

Law-enforcement and intelligence-sharing, among other factors and other measures, would assist in getting to the root of the crime situation, Minister Harmon said. Thus far, Government has been receiving international help from foreign law-enforcement agencies, who are currently conducting training sessions in the GPF in an effort to build capacity.

“We asked for assistance from the British in relation to the security assistance, and we have also re-engaged several other countries and agencies that will help our police and law-enforcement [bodies] fight crime,” Minister Harmon said.
Regarding public speculation that Government paid for the trip to ‘Last Lap’ made by himself and Minister Hughes, Minister Harmon said the trips were paid for privately by organisations who would have invited both himself and Minister Hughes.

“We do not feel it right to use Government’s money to deal with these matters. We [Guyana Government] are cash-strapped, as the Minister of Finance has made clear since assuming office that the cupboard was bare,” declared Harmon.

Minister Harmon said both he and Minister Hughes have nevertheless been utilising the opportunity to promote Government’s business during those trips.

By Shivanie Sugrim