Dear Editor,

PUBLIC safety is under threat in the City. The recent shooting and robbery of a citizen in broad daylight at the Bourda Market while she was shopping highlights the pinnacle of lawlessness in the City. Every single day the newspapers keep reporting on the daily robberies around the City with some being fatal. There are also a lot of the said robberies that goes unreported. These acts of brazen violence and robberies are reaching crisis proportions. The Guyana Police Force needs to act now! City States were built from the start of recorded civilisation primarily so that public citizens can be safe from attacks. It was the duty of the State to ensure that each and every resident was safe to live and conduct their daily business in peace. The police force needs to put preventative measures in place and not the post-mortem way it is presently operating. A high percentage of the robberies are executed in high density public places like the hospital, municipal markets and the main downtown shopping streets. All these areas should have cops on beat patrol fully armed and working in pairs during the day.

It should be a routine day in – day out exercise and not sporadic. The modus operandi of the robbers involves two persons on a motorcycle with one doing the riding and the pillion rider doing the robbery. Beat and mobile patrols need to specifically target these motorcycles and carry out the stop and search procedures. This campaign must be relentless, methodical and intensive. The City is in a grid system that can be divided into smaller blocks. The police force needs to divide the City into these blocks and for each block have a mobile rapid response unit in communication with the beat patrol to intercept the bandits. The use of undercover cops in these targeted areas is also a tried and trusted method. Mr. Commissioner, kindly reclaim our City and make it safe.

Yours Sincerely,
Reggie Bhagwandin