– says gov’t has every confidence in the police force
GOVERNMENT is very confident in the operations of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in dealing with crime in Guyana, Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, said at a post cabinet press briefing on Friday.
He made the statement at a time when a total of six bandits have been killed by police in the last three weeks.
Three wanted men were killed in Berbice recently during a shootout at the Joanna, Black Bush Polder (back-dam), namely; Kelvin Shivgobin, Ramnarine Jagmohan and Tameshwar Jagmohan.
On Thursday night, three other bandits – Junior Nurse, Shawn Browne (Jr) and Edward Skeete – were killed at Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown.
The Director-General said on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, is expected to host a press conference where the issues of crime will be addressed, in addition to the travel advisory issued by the US Government through its Guyana embassy.
The travel advisory issued on Thursday stated: “Guyana – Level 2: Exercise increased caution in Guyana due to crime.”
Harmon noted that the government is not pleased with the advisory.
“From the level of the Cabinet, I would wish to give the assurance to all our citizens including all those persons who are abroad and are making decisions to travel to Guyana, that Guyana is a safe place, it’s a safe place to live, it’s a safe place to work, it’s a safe place to invest, and that is the word I would wish to give to all the persons who might be thinking twice as a result of the advisory,” Harmon said.
He said countries issue such advisories so that their citizens can be aware of a situation that exists in a country at any particular point and time.
The Director-General said that from government’s perspective, “we have every confidence in our police officers to keep crime under control and to deal with serious criminals when they emerge.”
He said that the Commissioner of Police and his officers are providing greater leadership to the police force.
“There is a better cadre of senior officers, there is a better cadre of intelligence officers, who are now ensuring that police operations are intelligence-led and intelligence driven, so it is the intelligence which is provided to the police that has allowed them to confront gangs,” Harmon explained.
