Residents feel more secure with increased East Coast patrols
Stabroek News
September 9, 2002
Constant patrols by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have been able to stabilise the situation in East Coast Demerara communities such as Non Pariel and Annandale which have been targeted by gangs in recent weeks.
During a visit to the communities yesterday, residents were busily engaged in their usual weekend chores and most expressed satisfaction with the level of cover the security forces have been providing to them.
Following the burial in Buxton of wanted man Andrew Douglas two weeks ago, criminals have been invading the communities. During one of their attacks, a widower Haroon Rasheed was torched by the bandits at his home. Rasheed subsequently died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GHPC).
Young men from the neighbouring village of Buxton were seen robbing residents of Annandale in broad daylight last weekend and as a result the Police Force had issued a statement signalling its intention to beef up security patrols in the two communities.
Even though this assurance was offered to the residents many of those who spoke to Stabroek News last week were not pleased with the level of service they were receiving.
However, yesterday most of them said that they were now feeling more secure since they have been seeing ranks from both the GPF and GDF more often in the communities.