The party in a statement at its weekly press conference held at Congress Place, Sophia, said the fight against crime in Guyana cannot ignore the economic and social factors, “coupled with the now widespread and endemic corruption at all levels.”

It noted that the situation has led to spawning of an enabling environment for narco-trafficking and its attendant ills, which includes gun-running, kidnapping and gang murders, as well as petty criminality.

It claimed that the situation had deteriorated so badly that the nation has witnessed the two recent highly embarrassing cases of narcotic discoveries on the GDF Essequibo and in the luggage of a former Miss Guyana Universe.

The PNC/R has accused the current administration of displaying a decided unwillingness to tackle widespread and open corruption and fraud, which it said “has become cancerous to the society and creates the necessary conditions for Guyana to be classified as a failed state.”

Commenting on the joint services operations in the East Coast Demerara village of Buxton the party raised questions on the manner in which the disciplined forces have been conducting the exercise in the village.

It said no operation could be classified as legitimate when its implementation results in violation of basic human rights.

“The campaign to demonize every villager as a criminal or a harbourer of criminals is unacceptable. Random beatings and wanton destruction of citizens’ property cannot be condoned, nor can the party condone the unlawful, prolonged detention of persons, including juveniles, against whom there is no evidence,” the PNC/R said.