Dear Editor,

 

I agree with Mr. Raphael Trotman of the PNC when he said that the government should have improved the police force with more equipment and training to deal with crime and criminals. However, because of the sudden violent impact that the five escapees made on the crime scene, the police were not accustomed to, nor were they prepared to handle this new type of well armed criminals who were kidnapping for ransom, murdering and terrorising the inhabitants of this country. There was not enough time to even think about training.

The police themselves were targeted for extermination. Police stations came under attack with high calibre weapons. Policemen were killed during some of these attacks. The police themselves were looking for someone to protect them from these violent bandits whose intention seemed to be terrorise the police into submission.

 

PNC fire bomb Minister Gajraj's office

 

Everyone knows that police station gates used to be padlocked during the nights to prevent the bandits from overrunning them. The people of this country were left to the mercy of bandits since the police were themselves looking for someone to liberate them. Mr. Editor, the PNC were themselves calling upon the Minister of Home Affairs to resign when it appeared as if he was not doing enough to bring the bandits under control. Businessmen shut their doors for two days in protest at kidnappings and other criminal activities and many of them had contemplated fleeing the country. The protest being whipped up by the PNC can only be seen as trying to gain political mileage. Why else would they protest, when the back of crime has been broken and people have started to breathe a sigh of relief. Had it not been for the initiative of a few, this country would have been doomed. Those persons responsible for getting rid of this scourge should be complimented for saving Guyana rather than being condemned.

Yours faithfully,

(name and address supplied)