COMMENT
ON PNCR STATEMENT BY INFORMATION LIAISON TO PRESIDENT, MR.
ROBERT PERSAUD
On April 25, 2003, Ms. Deborah Backer, MP,
at the PNCR weekly press conference expressed her party’s
concern and sought a clarification of what His Excellency,
President Bharrat Jagdeo meant by cleaning out the crime situation
in Buxton, during a recent television interview. That statement
means only one thing: the criminal elements hiding in and
operating out of Buxton will have to be apprehended and brought
to justice. Not only will this action yield more positive
results for the security forces in their fight against crime,
but would also allow for the liberation of decent and law-
abiding residents from the criminal siege which has made their
historic village as a criminal safe haven.
There was no ambiguity in President Jagdeo’s
statement and task for the law enforcement agencies in dealing
with the criminal elements holed up in Buxton. Even the Stabroek
News of April 24, 2003 observed: “The layman who has
observed the depredations of the Buxton-based gunmen over
the last year or so knows what has to be done right away to
restore some measure of control over the criminals in the
village…Exhaustive searches have to be conducted in
the village and neighbouring areas for wanted men and ammunition
caches.” All Guyanese are justifiably concerned about
the fact that Buxton is a safe haven for criminals and want
the security forces to deal with this situation appropriately.
The President has always insisted that the
conduct of the security forces must be in conformity with
the laws of Guyana. As recent as (yesterday) April 24, 2003
he told the annual officers’ conference of the Guyana
Police Force: “Another issue I have made it clear to
every one that I have spoken to is that we have to operate
within the laws of this country. We have to operate upholding
the highest traditions of the Police Force. We have to operate
within our Constitution. Human Rights issues are very important
too…”
A pertinent point made by President Jagdeo
at the opening of the annual officers’ conference of
the Guyana Police Force: “We have to have political
space to operate within. I am very pleased that Mr. Robert
Corbin, leader of the PNCR is here and I am also pleased about
the statements he has made in terms of supporting the police
in the fight against crime. We need a conducive political
climate with which to operate...Criminal activities cannot
be equated with political or any other cause.”
The entire PNCR leadership must follow their
leader and take a more enlightened stance on the fight against
crime. Everyone should support efforts to end the criminal
safe-haven in Buxton.
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