On April 25, 2003, Ms. Deborah Backer, MP, at the PNCR weekly press conference expressed her party’s concern and sought a clarification of what His Excellency, President Bharrat Jagdeo meant by cleaning out the crime situation in Buxton, during a recent television interview. That statement means only one thing: the criminal elements hiding in and operating out of Buxton will have to be apprehended and brought to justice. Not only will this action yield more positive results for the security forces in their fight against crime, but would also allow for the liberation of decent and law- abiding residents from the criminal siege which has made their historic village a criminal safe haven.

There was no ambiguity in President Jagdeo’s statement and task for the law enforcement agencies in dealing with the criminal elements holed up in Buxton. Even the Stabroek News of April 24, 2003 observed: “The layman who has observed the depredations of the Buxton-based gunmen over the last year or so knows what has to be done right away to restore some measure of control over the criminals in the village…Exhaustive searches have to be conducted in the village and neighbouring areas for wanted men and ammunition caches.” All Guyanese are justifiably concerned about the fact that Buxton is a safe haven for criminals and want the security forces to deal with this situation appropriately.

The President has always insisted that the conduct of the security forces must be in conformity with the laws of Guyana. As recent as (yesterday) April 24, 2003 he told the annual officers’ conference of the Guyana Police Force: “Another issue I have made it clear to every one that I have spoken to is that we have to operate within the laws of this country. We have to operate upholding the highest traditions of the Police Force. We have to operate within our Constitution. Human Rights issues are very important too…”

A pertinent point made by President Jagdeo at the opening of the annual officers’ conference of the Guyana Police Force: “We have to have political space to operate within. I am very pleased that Mr. Robert Corbin, leader of the PNCR is here and I am also pleased about the statements he has made in terms of supporting the police in the fight against crime. We need a conducive political climate with which to operate...Criminal activities cannot be equated with political or any other cause.”