In a press release yesterday, he also said that "all blatant law breakers should be equally brought to justice" if there is to be national confidence in and support for the work of the security forces.

According to the release, Corbin said his party is concerned about stability and feels constrained to draw this serious situation to the attention of President Bharrat Jagdeo and Commissioner McDonald.

The PNC/R said that a national and coordinated strategy needs to be devised to deal with the crime and security situation plaguing the country.

The release said that it was, therefore, in this context, and in the interest of Guyana, that Corbin, as Chairman and Leader (ag) of the party, wrote President Jagdeo and Commissioner McDonald in separate letters dated January 10, 2003, requesting an urgent meeting with the Police Commissioner to discuss these developments.

Information Liaison to the President, Mr. Robert Persaud, in an invited comment yesterday, confirmed that Corbin's letter was received by President Jagdeo on Saturday and said it will be duly examined and responded to by the Office of the President.

However, he restated the Government's committment to working with all communities, groups and parties to derive a national consensus on crime, especially to confront the security situation in the Buxton area.

Officials have said that Buxton has become a safe haven for wanted, dangerous criminals and several Policemen and civilians have been killed there.

Passengers in minibuses and other vehicles travelling along the main road through the village have been attacked and robbed.

The PNC/R press release said that in his letter to the President, Corbin urged Mr. Jagdeo to use his good office - in his capacity as Head of Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces - to ensure that the work of the Police and the Army is done sensibly and with restraint and that there be an immediate review of the present operation in the East Coast communities.

"While the People's National Congress Reform is anxious for the security forces to deal successfully with crime, we wish to make it clear that we can perceive no benefit to anyone from provocative and irresponsible action by the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force," the PNC/R release stated.

The Police and Army last week launched their most intensive and 'overt' operation since the joint anti-crime fight began last year.

The Joint Services 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 Buxton - the violence-prone East Coast Demerara village.

On Wednesday, during the launching by the Police and Army of their intensified anti-crime operation, a Policeman was shot dead by unknown gunmen in the Buxton area while driving a Police mobile patrol vehicle on the East Coast public road.

Corbin said that he visited Buxton the day after the shooting to death of the Policeman (Thursday) and made a personal assessment of the situation there.

According to him, it is clear, from the discussions which he has had, that "there is a volatile confrontation looming which could escalate into a national crisis".

The release stated that in his letter to the Police Commissioner, Corbin said the PNC/R is fully in support of any action within the law which is intended to improve the crime and security situation in the country.

"Regrettably, however well-intentioned the joint Police-Army operation may be, the results being achieved appear to be making the situation considerably worse," he asserted.