Crime in Guyana has never been this bad- Opposition Leader

While the Guyana Police Force has reported an overall decline in serious crimes, as compared to the same period last year, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is concerned about the recent spate of robberies.

Jagdeo pointed out that robbery on hotels, as witnessed recently spells negativity for the tourism industry.

He also attributed the proliferation in criminal activities to the decline of morale in the Guyana Police Force.

“It has never been this bad. People are robbing now, hospitals, they went into two hotels. When you start robbing hotels, then that sends a strong signal on tourism…on the one hand, you will hear there is no increase in crime and then the (reality) contradicts them and say it is happening” Jagdeo told reporters.

The Opposition Leader referred to comments made in relation to the crackdown on drug-related activities forcing persons to resort to crime, noting that it is not so but “crime I escalating because of the disintegrating of moral within the police force.”

Most recent statistics provided by the Guyana Police Force earlier this month stated that there has been a 21% reduction in serious crimes at the end of September 2016.

These statistics claim a 9% reduction in reports of murder; a 5% decrease in gun-related robberies; a 17% decrease in armed robberies where other instruments were used; a 15% decrease in robberies where no instruments were used; a 25% decrease in Robbery With Violence; a 4% decrease in Robbery With Aggravation; a 33% decrease in Larceny from the Person; a 19% decrease in Rape; a 13% decrease in Burglary and a 21% decrease in Break and Enter and Larceny respectively.

Sixty-seven illegal firearms were seized which includes 29 pistols, 21 revolvers, and 17 shotguns.