Opposition stance on security reform “regrettable”- Minister Rohee

In the wake of the combined opposition’s refusal to cooperate with government on a Clement Rohee-led Security Strategy, the Home Affairs Minister deemed their position “regrettable.”
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) pledged their support for reforms in the sector but not under Rohee who is embattled by a no-confidence motion over his handling of national security.
Several hours after the 33-seat combined opposition made their positions known, the Home Affairs Minister lashed back, saying the opposition has no grounds to stand on and is now personalising the issue.
“Many of these things that they have been calling for they have it on a platter before them. This has nothing to do with Clement Rohee. This has to do with the efficacy of the issues and they have finally matured,” he said.
The Home Affairs Minister expressed “pity” that  APNU and AFC have “reduced this matter to a personal issue. “I’m doing my work from a policy perspective and steps that are consistent with the country’s interests,” said Rohee.
He explained that work has been going on quietly to formulate strategic plans and allocate funds for the 2013-2017 Strategic Plan that has been formulated by the United Kingdom-based Capita  Symonds. Government says it will cost the national coffers about Gy$35 million to implement.
He reiterated that the opposition would have to be held accountable if it does not support the plan. The plan includes civilian oversight, a call that had been repeatedly made by AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan while he had been a member of the governing Peoples Progressive Party. That call had been also issued by the Guyana  Human Rights Association and the 2003 Disciplined Forces Commission of inquiry.
Opposition Leader David Granger and Ramjattan vowed not to support the strategy under Rohee’s leadership because of what they say has been mishandling of the security sector. The Home Affairs Minister has been temporarily gagged by House Speaker, Raphael Trotman until the High Court rules on a legal challenge  by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.
The state-run Government Information Agency (GINA) on Wednesday reported that the process, which culminated with the minister’s recent announcement of the changes, was a long one which began since he took up his present post in 2006, under guidelines that had to be followed, as issued by the Inter American Development (IDB) bank which funded it.
Minister Rohee debunked claims made by Ramjattan that the plans had been formulated since 2010, noting that he demonstrated his lack of knowledge about the IDB processes and Cabinet rules.
The process was an expensive one that encompassed several phases and every step had a cost, which had to be approved, before moving on to the next.
Minister Rohee said that during the 2006 to 2010 period, much technical work was quietly being executed in spite of the “hullabaloo” by some.  It began with the Citizens’ Security Programme launched in 2006, which had three components, reform and modernisation of the Guyana Police Force, Institutional Modernisation of the Home Affairs Ministry and the Community Action Project.
The Minister recalled that the IDB-approved consultants had to draft strategic plans for the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), and after which came the   “Inception Reports”.  Consultants then met with various stakeholders, a move devoid of any government interference, and these plans were then approved by Cabinet. The formulation of the strategic plans was done, then the “Implementation Plans”, detailing necessary steps, were then drafted. Each step cost significant sums of money that had to be approved in order to move to the next phase according to the minister. “It made no sense announcing a half-baked plan that had no money to back up its implementation”.
He denied that the timing of his announcement had anything to do with subterfuge, given the opposition’s calls for him to step down. He noted that someone who was incompetent would not have been able to see such a process to fruition.
The entire country will benefit from the much needed reforms regardless of who was in charge, Minister Rohee added, “The issue is not personal, it has to do with the country’s future and all the people will benefit from it”.
The new plans which will see much needed changes being implemented throughout the GPF, GFS and the GPS have been posted to the Home Affairs Ministry’s website for the public’s perusal.
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) on Wednesday both publicly endorsed the Security Strategy and called for broad-based national support for the move.