Opposition playing politics with security forces – Rohee

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said the approach the combined opposition took at the last sitting of the National Assembly was expected.
Speaking during a recent interview on the Current Issues and Analysis programme aired on TVG, the minister said the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) were selective as to what areas they would cut in the requests provided by each minister.
Rohee emphasised that such actions prove that the joint opposition was using their one-seat majority to show that they “are in charge”.
It was noted that as the subject minister, he has to ensure that policies which are laid down, are being implemented and reviewed to determine if they are working and if necessary, replace these policies.

Guyana Times International was told that this was the reason there is need for agencies such as the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Fire Service, to have the necessary resources to implement these policies.
However, due to political reasons, this did not find favour with the AFC and the APNU, which voted against it.
The home affairs minister explained that denying these agencies of necessary resources has a “strong ring of vindictiveness”, which in the end, results in hardworking ranks being punished.
“Why should they suffer? Why should they be affected because of your view? They are not politicians,” said Rohee.
Only recently, Opposition Leader David Granger had lashed out at the government, saying that the police force should be given more resources to effectively execute its duties.
This newspaper was told that by denying the necessary funding, the opposition’s arguments and blame were counterproductive as on one hand they blame the government for not pumping more money into the force, and on the other hand, they refuse to pass the budget.
Minister Rohee pointed out that the money for the prison service was to feed the prisoners and maintain operations.
It was acknowledged that while debates allow for an argument to go either side, a debate is by force of argument and the outcome should not result from the numbers on one side, who vote.
This, he said, makes a debate pointless if the arguments are not being used to judge the situation, since at the end of any debate, the opposition would simply use its majority to vote against the government.
Rohee said that there are major plans for his ministry in 2013, and they will all further shape the future for homeland security in Guyana.  These plans will also point the direction in which the disciplinary forces will follow in years to come.