PLEASE allow me a space in your publication to address the above issue.

There continues to be a very reluctant approach by some individuals, companies and establishments to employ adequate security measures to secure their personal assets and that of their customers and trustees.
One is left to ponder the rational of any person, persons or company behind a decision to leave an unarmed guard to provide guard services to a building or facility which houses millions in cash and other valuables backed up by little or no proper security or alternative security mechanism.
My letter today was influenced by the robbery which took place at a building along Regent Street, Georgetown which houses two separate entities and from which masked gunmen carted off millions in cash and several weapons in the process before shooting out the security cameras and tying up the lone security guard.
Such reckless approach to the notion of being security conscious endangers the lives of persons providing unarmed security to buildings such as the one which was robbed on Wednesday morning.
I recall meetings which were held by the Guyana Police Force with business operators, especially in central Georgetown where mechanism were explored to enhance the physical security of their establishments.
Those meetings saw follow ups and subsequent visits by the senior police officers who advised proprietors on how their existing physical security and those which monitor their premises could be enhanced.
I also recall the idea being floated for there to be a centrally located inter-connective system where businesses along the main commercial areas can erect surveillance cameras at their premises and those images and footage feed into the central serve which would be monitored by both police and members of the business community.
As to where those discussions are at this time remain unknown to me but it is my view that had that approach been adopted collectively and moves made to implement same, some of the instances of robberies committed on business places would have been less.
The implementation of the system if still on the table will attract a price tag for it to become operational as was discussed between the police and members of the business community. To my mind that should not have been or should not be much of a burden to the business folks, considering their losses being recently in what I consider to be well-organised periodic heists.
I think it is time for those discussions to once again be brought to the fore between the business community and police, not only in Georgetown but all other regions where high economic activities occur on a daily basis.
Finally, there should be standard codes of conduct by security services and persons who employ security guards to ensure that the level of security they employ is adequate for assets and resources they seek to have guarded.
No security guard should be left to guard a building with only a flashlight, piece of stick and/or a cutlass when behind the walls of those buildings lay resources and valuables worth millions of dollars. It is ridiculous and needs to be addressed at the highest level.

LEROY SMITH
Crime/Security Reporter