Establishing joint intelligence centres to identify criminals and safe houses and special police/army teams to handle contingencies are among proposals the Social Partners are asking political parties and the government to consider.
These recommendations are contained in a report prepared by a panel, appointed by the Social Partners, which includes former Chiefs of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Major Generals (ret’d) Norman McLean and Joe Singh, and former Commissioner of Police, Laurie Lewis.
The joint operations would include the creation of dedicated Army and Police teams to deal with identified contingencies. The contingencies the joint police/army teams would deal with would be identified by operational joint intelligence centres which would be set up at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary and at the headquarters of the Police “A” and “C” divisions, which cover Demerara and Essequibo.
The functions of these joint intelligence centres would be to deal with current trends in criminal activity including the identification of criminal personalities, safe houses, vehicles, modus operandi and likely targets of criminal syndicates and gangs.
The panel says “The urgent implementation of measures suggested ... together with demonstrable cross party political support for them, and timely complementary programmes that provide for increasing contact and discussion with politicians, elders, mothers, youth and others within villages, and with adjoining villages, as well as creative efforts at community development may create a more positive environment for reducing current levels of volatility and preparing the ground for reconciliation.”
The panel does not recommend the declaration of a state of emergency as it contends that only when all other remedies have failed that such a step is taken. It says “We do not believe that the full potential of the present laws and security procedures has been exhausted.”
The other measures it proposes, which the Social Partners want the Government and the parties to publicly endorse and support are the establishment of:
*A safe corridor for movement of vehicular traffic on the East Coast Highway and the Railway Embankment Road. (Last week at a joint Police/Army press conference, the heads of the two organisations said that this has been established.)
*Control points to regulate/monitor movement of criminal/disruptive elements who can threaten the integrity of the safe corridor.
*The disbanding of the emergency response unit; and the creation of a fully trained, armed and led squad subject only to the direction of professional police officers.
*A dedicated Intelligence Cell to analyse the events and incidents that are the genesis of the deteriorating security environment. The cell will analyse political statements; reports such as the Thomas Carroll Visa Affair; the London/Douglas tapes; and the alleged extra-judicial activities by the ‘Black Clothes’ police.
The panel suggests that among the questions that the cell must answer include: “Is there evidence that the deteriorating situation is being stage-managed by individuals and/or political parties and/or drug lords and/or business syndicates etc?” and “Is the increased criminal activity fuelling fears that will result in demographic shifts for political and other strategic ends?” The panel suggests too the declaration of an amnesty for a specific period for owners of unlicensed weapons, with charges being instituted against those found with unlicensed weapons and ammunition on the expiration of the amnesty.
They suggest too the formation of a broadly representative National Security, Monitoring and Review Committee comprising representatives of Parliamentary parties, members of the Security Advisory Group and others.
They say that the role of the committee must be strictly advisory and must not be perceived as a replacement for any component of the existing Security Architecture such as the Defence Board, the National Security Committee and the Joint Services Co-ordinating Council that are the constitutional and legal instruments which direct national security strategy and tactics.
The panel recommends the immediate appointment of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Winston Felix as Commissioner of Police and the expediting of the reform of the Police Force. In announcing Felix’s appointment as Commissioner-Designate, President Bharrat Jagdeo said that he would accede to the post of Commissioner in January 1, 2003.
The panel stressed the need for every effort to made “to ensure transparency and (that) there should be no political interference in the tactical responses of the security forces.”
The panel proposed too a revision of the terms of reference of the Community Policing Groups to ensure effective networking with the Police Divisions and the Private Security Firms and the provision of, as far as is feasible, a dedicated radio frequency and channel for communication with the Police.
The Social Partners want the political and religious leaders, elders, mothers and other community leaders to issue joint statements that are complemented by sustained efforts to encourage media owners, talk show hosts, interviewees and operatives to adopt more balanced and responsible news and programmes.
The panel recommends “the Government of Guyana should provide the necessary resources for implementation by the Joint Services of any or all of the agreed proposals.”
“Further, with support from the Parliamentary Parties, the public and private sectors and Non-Governmental Organisations, the Government must take timely, appropriate and decisive action in all target communities to address the range of concerns that contribute to increasing tension within particular communities and with neighbouring communities”
On Thursday at a public meeting at Buxton, PNC/R leader, Desmond Hoyte, detailed a socio-economic programme for the village and its environs aimed at improving its infrastructure, sustaining its cultural legacy and providing better educational facilities and employment opportunities.
On the same day on a television call-in programme, Odinga Lumumba, the President’s advisor on community development and himself a Buxtonian, disclosed that the government is working on putting in place such plans. He said that Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford is spearheading the government’s efforts.
Spokesperson for the Social Partners, Private Sector Commission chairman, Dr Peter de Groot, and the security experts during the past week have discussed their proposals separately with President Jagdeo and a team of government officials including the heads of the joint services and other security agencies and representatives of the PPP/Civic and PNC/R. The last of those meetings was held on Wednesday.
Stabroek News understands that a joint statement to which all the parties can agree is being prepared.
According to de Groot the government and the two parties have indicated general agreement with the proposals. Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon confirmed the government’s position. He described the proposals as comprehensive and said that the discussions on them could lead to the evolution of a national consensus on the steps that should be taken to address the security situation in the country.
PPP/C general secretary, Donald Ramotar, confirmed his party’s general agreement with the proposals while explaining that it had voiced it concerns about certain aspects, which the team appreciated.
Oscar Clarke, the PNC/R general secretary, also voiced agreement with the proposals even though the PNC/R felt that the security situation should not be dealt with in isolation from the core issue of governance. (Patrick Denny)