PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has emphasised that his administration will be modernising and specialising its approach to maintaining security and fighting crime in Guyana. According to the Head of State, there will be an interagency and multi-pronged approach to fighting crime which, apart from the regular policing groups, will also involve civilians, officers trained in Special Forces and ranks from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) which will become members of regional units.

Crime is what sociologists describe as a ‘cultural universal.’ It is found in all societies from time immemorial and remained until this day a challenge to governments throughout the world. There is no crime-free society and the important question is the extent to which governments have been successful in curbing the incidence of crimes and other forms of delinquency.

The government in its 2021 Budget Estimates has set aside a whopping sum of $22 billion to public safety and the security sector which is earmarked for training, equipment, community policing, infrastructural development, institutional development and capacity building.

Fighting crime must of necessity be done in an organised, intelligence-driven and multi-dimensional manner if it is to be effective. President Ali has recognised this fact and is doing what is required to deal with the crime situation in the country. It is no secret that crime and criminal networks are becoming increasingly more organised and technologically driven and it is therefore imperative that this scourge be combated with superior methods of strategising, weaponry and intelligence-gathering techniques.

As pointed out by the President, as the country attains a higher level of prosperity the propensity of crimes is likely to increase. To deal effectively with this rising threat, several initiatives were taken by the current administration, among which are enhanced capacity to combat transnational organised crime, greater patrols of our territorial waters and the beefing up of equipment and training to the relevant agencies, including police and customs officers at the several ports of entry.

There is also the provision of equipment and training to the police force to strengthen bike patrol units and to support community policing. A community-based approach that involves young people, family networks, community service providers and government agencies were also put into operation.

Of critical importance also is the need to strengthen the capability of law-enforcement officials to respond to, and investigate cases of a criminal nature, as well as to enhance the technical capacity of police, prosecutors and magistrates to administer justice in a timely manner.

It is in the above context that the President’s commitment to deal with the crime problematic in the country has to be situated. Despite the several initiatives taken, the crime situation in the country continues to remain an issue of concern to Guyanese both in the country and in the diaspora. There are still too many overseas-based Guyanese who are afraid to set foot in Guyana because of the perception of a likelihood of them being robbed of their money and valuables. And while such fears are at times exaggerated, there is also over-sensationalising of the crime situation in the country by some sections of the media. Such perceptions could potentially hurt our tourism industry and by extension, our image as a hospitable and tourist-friendly country.

Fighting crime is not a matter for the police alone. In the words of our national poet, Martin Carter, it is a case in which ‘all are involved, all are consumed.’ All of us have a role to play in the fight against crime. Our Commander-in-chief and Executive President has put criminals and those so inclined on notice that when it comes to crime, no efforts will be spared to bring them to justice and to deal with them condignly within the framework of the law.