Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said that government is aggressively working to establish its National Intelligence Agency, as well as on installing Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the city, warning that, in this election year, “shady opposition elements will be monitored”. Rohee made the comments at a news briefing last Friday at his office. He said that, this year, the ministry will aggressively pursue implementation of projects under capital and current programmes of the 2011 budget, as well as push for completion of those projects which have been carried over from the 2010 budget.
These projects, on completion, will further enhance, if not bolster, the country’s public safety and security environment.
He warned that efforts by known and shady elements to disturb the peace and good order of society by undemocratic means and acts of subversion will be monitored closely, and dealt with appropriately within the meaning of the law.
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee
“The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to assure the general public that it will spare no effort to ensure that their right to live in peace is not disturbed by political malcontents and others with an agenda to promote violence,” Rohee said. “Elections year or, for that matter, in no other year, should there be place for (those) creating fear in our country by resorting to channa bombs, grenades, bomb scares, attempted arson, rumour mongering, or sensational stories in the media.” Earlier this week, President Bharrat Jagdeo had warned that such acts would not be countenanced.
The president, however, had said that he did not believe that the recent spate of arson attacks and bombings is connected to the holding of national elections, due later this year.
However, he assured citizens that, if indeed these activities are linked, strict action would be taken. “I want to promise the people of this country that the security forces – the police and the army – they have my command — my instruction — that we will deal condignly with any act of violence, and we will go wherever the trail leads us, even if it leads to politicians.” Meanwhile, Rohee said that the Citizens Security Programme is scheduled for completion this year.
He said that government holds great hope for the full implementation of the three components of this programme.
In this regard, he said, the importance of the contribution of civilian stakeholders to government’s overall efforts to maintain law and order in Guyana cannot be over- emphasised.
Rohee said the administration is highly appreciative of the contributions of serving civilian members of the National Commission for Law and Order, the only body of its kind in Guyana.
