Officials yesterday said `Operation Saline Solution II' is "the most effective" approach at the moment in combating the crime scourge plaguing the country and flushing out criminals from the violence-prone East Coast Demerara village of Buxton.

Lieutenant Commander Gary Best of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) indicated that `Operation Saline Solution II' is a continuation, in a more intensive form, of the previous `Operation Saline Solution I'.

Best said this operation will be "continued and sustained" and described Wednesday's launching as "an overt operation" and "not a covert operation".

He said, too, that the Joint Services operation would entail an intensification of activities between the areas of Lusignan and Paradise, on the East Coast Demerara and would include cordon-and-search exercises, joint patrols, road blocks, the use of the Army helicopter and several other activities aimed at curbing the current crime scourge and maintaining law and order.

Asked at a news conference hosted by the Army and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) at the Police Commissioner's Conference Room, Georgetown, whether the Joint Services are convinced that this second operation is the right approach to the Buxton problem, especially since there has not be any major success in the first approach, Best said that based on the intelligence and information received and in their possession, the Joint Services are of the view that `Operation Saline Solution II' is the "most effective approach" at the moment.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Henry Greene told reporters that the Joint Services remain firm in the fight against crime and the maintenance of law and order.

He declared that the "war against crime" which was launched last year continues, and will continue, and that the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force stand firm in their joint resolve to maintain law and order and to make sure that the society remains one that does not slip into anarchy.

Greene recalled that there was a brief lull in the spiraling crime wave after several wanted criminals were apprehended or killed late last year, but that recently, especially coming to the end of last year and continuing into the new year "we were met once again with serious attacks by criminal elements".

"Apart from robberies, you are fully aware that several Policemen were shot and killed in the most unorthodox and cruel fashion in some cases," he said.

He noted that for the year so far, three Policemen have been shot and killed while 15 Policemen have been killed within the past 10 months.

"Such a situation cannot go on unhindered, so what we have done is to intensify our joint activities as it relates to the coast and as it relates to Georgetown," he said.

"What has happened is that sometime (Wednesday), we started an exercise of cordon-and-searches, roadblocks and joint patrols, between Paradise and Lusignan, along with the GDF (and) during this activity searches were carried out in South and Central Buxton," he said.

Greene said no one was arrested in this exercise but camouflage suits were found in some places as well as cleaning kits which could be used to clean firearms. He reported that several places were checked and searched in the area but with limited success.

He recalled too that during the operation - around 6:25 p.m. (18:25 hrs) Wednesday, "a Police mobile patrol with six ranks was on duty on the Friendship public road when they were met with heavy gunfire coming from persons concealed somewhere in the area".

He noted that this gunfire resulted in Constable 18043 Nandkumar Mohabir, who was the driver of the patrol vehicle, receiving several bullet wounds and he subsequently died.

Another member of the patrol, Constable 18755 Surujballi was injured when he took evasive action and jumped out of the vehicle. Surujballi, admitted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the Georgetown Hospital, was yesterday in stable condition recovering from injuries and bruises to his face, hands and legs.

"We sympathise with the relatives of Constable Mohabir; we generally sympathise with all those persons who were murdered, shot, killed, pillaged or have themselves faced criminal elements.

"We also emphatise with those members of the public because we know of the severe inconvenience which have been caused by the roadblocks and in some instances by the searches (and) we want to thank those who have cooperated with us and who have assisted us, for their patience and for understanding that what we are doing is maintaining law and order," Greene stated.

He denied reports that ranks of the Police Force went on Wednesday's massive operation with some amount of hesitancy and apprehension, saying there are "no reports, officially, in our system that there was any hesitancy by any of the ranks to go on that (operation)".

He said that as a matter of fact, the ranks went with the usual strength and determination with the view to capture any bandits, if any were located.

According to Greene, the specific killings of Policemen are intended to demoralise members of the Force causing them to want to leave the GPF or causing them to not want to take on the criminals.

"As it relates to the killing of Policemen, so far our analysis has indicated quite clearly that Policemen have been targetted to further demoralise the Force in order to cause members of the Force to lose that resolve and that strength to fight crime, and in addition, for the spinoffs that some of them will leave the Force and thus weaken the Force."

"This, however, has not happened. Our ranks have continued to remain firm, some have been killed and every time it happens our ranks lock arms and decide that we will continue to fight crime and that's what we are here for," he assured.

The Assistant Police Commissioner admitted that some members of the Force have been expressing concerns about their safety in light of what has transpired over the past 10 months.

He, however, noted that measures were put in place to better protect Policemen and that protective gear has been bought for members of the Force.

Greene also feels that the killing of Policemen is not just random in terms of specific Policemen being targeted. He said the entire Police Force, as a group, is being targetted.

"Policemen as a group are being targetted," he stressed.

"We have been alerting all our Policemen to be on the alert. Whether you go to your regular place or not (hang out spot, etc.) do not drop your guard. I think all of us, where crime is concerned, should not let our guard down generally and we have asked Policemen to be extra careful because we don't know when one of us would get shot, whether personal or otherwise," he told reporters.

Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Ronald Gajraj has also condemned the heinous slaying of Policemen, and in a recent statement said: "These brutal, murderous acts must only fortify the resolve of our Police ranks as they combat the notorious criminals.

"Those who seek to criminalise our society by targetting our lawmen and terrorising innocent citizens, must know that the efforts of our law enforcement agencies will succeed in making our society safer. Attempts by criminals to cower our Police ranks as they go about their duty - to protect and serve the people of Guyana - will surely be defeated."

Greene yesterday also pointed out that there have been severe criminal attacks on persons passing through Buxton (using the main public road), especially when there are no Police or Joint Services presence in the area, and part of this intensified operation entails maintaining a safe corridor between Annandale and Vigilance - the neighbouring villages to Buxton/Friendship.

This is aimed at ensuring that persons get to their lawful residences without being attacked, he said.

Asked whether the GDF, which has maintained its presence in the troubled Buxton area since last year, would withdraw from there anytime soon, Best said the Army's withdrawal from the village would depend, or be dictated, by the increasing level of success achieved by the Joint Services operation as well as by "our colleagues in arms", referring to the Guyana Police Force.