— Guyana to advance plan on illicit proliferation of firearms, ammunitions
A COMPREHENSIVE audit is currently underway in relation to missing firearms from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum said. A number of recoveries of missing firearms were made, he said at a virtual executive seminar held by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) on Tuesday.
The Senior Superintendent presented on the national perspective regarding the state of disarmament in Guyana’s security landscape.
The purpose of the seminar was to initiate the steps needed to map out Guyana’s priorities, plans and timelines for implementing the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap and to advance Guyana’s National Action Plan on the illicit proliferation of firearms and ammunitions.
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, in his opening remarks, noted that Guyana attaches great importance to the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, and recognises the significance of working together, both bilaterally and through multilateral collaboration.
He added that Guyana will work keenly with regional and international partners to achieve the successful implementation of the National Action Plan.
The seminar benefitted from presentations delivered by the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), UNLIREC and Guyana.
The seminar was attended by senior representatives of CARICOM IMPACS; UNLIREC; Non- Resident Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Guyana, Ute König; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas; Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie; Colonel Anderson of the Guyana Defence Force; Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Teshana JamesLake; representatives of CANU and representatives of the Minister’s Secretariat.