Georgetown, Guyana – No country in this world can boast of perfect security, it is the nature of humans to take advantage of each other, but those agents who claim that “nothing has changed” are either liars, peddling propaganda, or have erased all memory of the past 23 years.
OSAC REPORT
For the very first time in nearly 2 centuries, the Guyana Crime and Safety Report, created by the OSAC [US Overseas Security Advisory Council] has given Guyana a Level 1 – exercise normal precautions rating. All ratings for the previous 10 years were an elevated “CRITICAL”
GUYANA POLICE FORCE
The Guyana Police Force has reported that murders are down 17% while there has been a rise in petty crimes like Burglaries. This trend reflects the effect of the government’s crack down on drug dealing and money laundering which often resulted in frequent violence and contract killings.
POLICE FORCE PROFESSIONALIZED, POLICE ABUSES STEADILY DECLINE
Have we really forgotten the police abuses of the past, often encouraged by unscrupulous and corrupt now opposition PPPC Ministers of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, and Ronald Gajraj?
Have we forgotten these horrific cases of sanctioned police abuses?
-Shaquille Grant – 2012, Teen shot dead by police
-Alan Wade, Selwyn Boyer, Ron Sommerset – 2012, Linden Protestors shot dead by police
-Yohance Douglas – University Student shot dead by police [2003]
– Colwyn Harding – 2014, Baton rammed up anus, assault by police
– Alex Griffith – 2014, Teen shot in mouth by police
There is a change, these things don’t happen with much regularity and if they do, citizens no longer have to protest for justice, the rogue officers are prosecuted!
Guyana Human Rights Reports
2010 – “…the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) received 13 complaints of unlawful killings.”
2012 – “The most serious human rights abuses involved suspects’ and detainees’ complaints of mistreatment by security forces, unlawful killings by police, and poor prison and jail conditions. Other human rights problems included lengthy pretrial detention; allegations of government corruption, including among police officials; excessive government influence over the content of the national television network; sexual and domestic violence against women; and abuse of minors.”
2013 – “The most serious human rights abuses involved suspects’ and detainees’ complaints of mistreatment by security forces, unlawful killings by police, and poor prison and jail conditions…”
2014 – “same”
2015 – “The most significant human rights problems were arbitrary killings by the government or its agents; allegations of government corruption, including among police officials; and laws that discriminate against women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex persons. Other human rights problems included lengthy pretrial detention.”
Now contrast these reports with 2016 & 2017 reports
2016 – “The most significant human rights problems were alleged government corruption, including among police officials, and laws that discriminate against women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons. Other human rights problems included harsh and potentially life-threatening prison conditions, lengthy pretrial detention, and trafficking in persons.”
Note: Recent change in transgender laws
2017 – “The most significant human rights issues included harsh and potentially life-threatening prison conditions and laws that criminalize same-sex sexual activity, although they were not enforced during the year. Government officials did not enjoy impunity for human rights abuses. There were independent and transparent procedures for handling allegations of abuses by security forces.”
Guyana has changed for the better and those who deny it are obscuring the truth for their own personal or political agendas. The Coalition Government is not perfect but leaders are taking steps to move the country in the right direction. Guyana is a better place in 2018. There is no doubt about that.
