THIS weekend I took the time to read the dailies and came up with the following headlines:
1. Plum Park residents accuse cops of indiscriminate shooting.
2. Alleged phone thief shot by plain clothes police.

3. Three held over gun, cocaine ammo discovered.
4. Police accused of withholding “Cobra” reward money.

Except for Law Enforcement all of the above incidents bear a common thread, that is, illegal gun possession and/or usage.
This growing culture of lawlessness, from all appearances, seems to be getting out of control. Illegal guns and gun use is the order of the day and if something is not done about it Guyana would have become a dangerous place to live in. It is a worrying factor for peace loving law abiding citizens and government alike. Therefore, the police must take steps to curb the menace by putting certain strategies in place, which I am happy to announce is working.
Law Enforcement is taking the crime fight to the criminals hitting them right at the source where it hurts most. I say kudos to the police. Criminals must know that we are not going to throw in the towel and let them have their way, certainly not! If this is their ideology then think again because we are going to take back our streets, we are going to bring back decency and orderliness to our country.
Now, whenever the police step up the pressure we hear the all too familiar hue and cry from that section of society  “police brutality” the “police fired indiscriminately  …  the police come with big guns and start firing at them innocent boys just so” among the usual nonsensical stories.
These are the usual run of the mill stories that sensible citizens do not take notice of. However, these stories do resonate with criminals and those who defend them. There is a group of individuals who readily rush to their assistance propping them up with the lawlessness. This despicable group will always find fault with the police while shoring up the criminals’ story. This is the sick sad situation of such persons who by the way want to be our leaders.
If this is not distressing enough the last item on my list bears the barefaced and shameless request of Mark Benschop that he was not paid “ransom money” for turning in notorious criminal Tyrone “Cobra” Rowe. He is accusing the state of reneging on a promise they made.
Well, some people have no shame. Benschop wants compensation for something that cannot be credited to him.
The fact is being under surveillance Benschop has forfeited his rights to ever coming close to a reward; this disqualifies him from ever gaining anything. Making a reward to Benschop is tantamount to the US making a reward to the terrorist Tsarnaev for not dying but staying alive to tell his story. This would inevitably make him a hero and this cannot, I repeat cannot be allowed in civilised society. This will be sending the wrong signal to the criminal public to which he embraces.
So himself and criminal associates can cry their hearts out this simply will not happen. In the meantime I must commend the hard working policemen who have certainly turned up the heat on criminals. Keep up the good work and make our country safe boys.