He told his regular post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the President that the Government was going to reject and address this anti-Police sentiment in several ways.

"It is felt by Cabinet, first and foremost, that political initiatives have to be strengthened and heightened, bearing in mind our conviction that the reckless behaviour by the PNC/R politicians contributed, in no small extent, to the perils faced by the Police."

"...we would seek to involve civil society and the international community in the rejection of the anti-Police sentiments, expressions and behaviour of the PNC/R (and) sections of the media and call for this behaviour to be recognised as terroristic," Luncheon declared.

The PNC/R last week called for the "speedy apprehension" of the five criminals who escaped from the Georgetown Prison on February 23 last, saying they "have been on the rampage for much too long".

The party has strongly criticised the Police on several issues but PNC/R Chairman, Mr. Robert Corbin told a news conference his party wished to make it abundantly clear that it is "on the side of law and order", adding that its Congress Place headquarters "will never be a safe haven for criminals and wrongdoers".

But Luncheon yesterday said, "the PNC/R would have Guyanese believe that it can propose, it can publicise and it can promote a public policy that is both anti-crime and anti-Police at the same time".

He noted that Cabinet in its deliberations yesterday, felt that this is indeed a "misguided approach" by the PNC/R which is heightened by "the public antics of the aspiring leaders who are involved in the game of political succession".

Luncheon said, too, that this approach is additionally heightened by the irresponsible actions of sections of the media - print and electronic - which he accused of "reinforcing the anti-Police appeal and (whetting) the appetites of followers, loyalists and supporters" of the PNC/R.

"The PNC/R's anti-crime message is late, to our mind insignificant, and to our recall, merely words; an apparent after thought and an effort to appease the rising concerns of average Guyanese," he told reporters.

Stating that the disrespect and baiting of the Police was now common, Luncheon pointed out that two law enforcement officers died over the past two weeks in the line of duty and many have been physically threatened day by day.

Detective Sergeant, Harry Kooseram, 37, was shot six times as he was bicycling to work early Monday morning. He died shortly after he was taken to the Georgetown Hospital. And top anti-crime fighter Police Superintendent Leon Fraser was shot dead on April 2, last.

"This current situation has, and is creating, considerable insecurity particularly as the anti-Police sentiment is now clearly out of hand and is attended not only by words, inflammatory words, but specific and concrete actions," the Cabinet Secretary said.

He said the administration was reassured by the commitment and readiness of law enforcement officers and members of the Joint Services to respond to the threats of public safety and a breakdown of law and order.

The law enforcement agencies have resolved that the anti-crime campaign would remain their dedicated attention, he assured.

He stressed that the "end game in the current anti-crime operation" is the apprehension of the five heavily armed and dangerous criminals who escaped from the Georgetown jail on February 23 last, killing a young Prison Officer and shooting a female Prison Officer in the head.

Luncheon said the escapees have "a fairly adequate support system out there".

"...they're not exactly running around and not really dependent on their own proceeds; (and) all the evidence that has been cumulated over the last weeks clearly indicate that they enjoy shelter, both physical and other forms, and as such one is dealing with perhaps the community of similarly-minded individuals..."

"I suspect one can recognise that we're not as satisfied as we can be...but those of us who are familiar with the efforts that are being made and have been made by the Guyana Police Force and in the context of the escalation of the anti-crime behaviour, the entire Joint Services, yes indeed there is a basis for our satisfaction in what is being done", he said.

He said what was "more important" was that the "games and the ambitions of those who have sought to demoralise the Police and have sought to demonise specific elements and individuals in the Police Force using the media and the utterances of misguided politicians...have not succeeded."

"This is an assurance that clearly comes out from the attitude, the resolve and the conduct of Policemen and Policewomen as they go out there, day after day, in the face of this undiluted vitriol from these politicians and other miscreants and discharge their functions; I think that is what is reassuring to this administration."

"The administration is reassured by the behaviour of the law enforcement officers in this context," he added.

He referred to the public statements and resolve of sections of the media to identify Policemen/women and their families, media personalities who promote violence against these Policemen and Policewomen, and politicians and various public personalities who take similar positions and argued that terrorism aptly defined the situation.

"If this is not terroristic behaviour, what is?"

"We would be moving to establish to all and sundry - both domestically, regionally and internationally, that this behaviour, if it is not terroristic, it is perilously close, and it should be treated as such," Luncheon declared.

Referring to his claim that the PNC/R was trying "in these charged times" to be both anti-Police and anti-crime at the same time, he said, "I don't doubt that the well educated, the highly sophisticated members of the PNC leadership can make that distinction; but let us realistically deal with rank and file supporters all over this land and that distinction is lost in the highways and streets and rivers and passageways in Guyana."

He contended that perhaps the PNC/R and its mouthpieces have indeed recognised a clear-cut distinction between anti-Police and anti-crime but the "reality is that when it filters down and impacts on the average supporter, follower or anyone who becomes inflamed by their utterances, it will be extremely difficult to draw that dividing line."

"I don't see why we should not admit that the message (by the PNC/R) might be a little bit too strong for rank and file and ordinary people, and they might be misguided and have an inaccurate and improper understanding of what the"I don't see why we should not admit that the message (by the PNC/R) might be a little bit too strong for rank and file and ordinary people, and they might be misguided and have an inaccurate and improper understanding of what their leaders are saying and what the media personalities are belching out into their homes, day in and day out...and that leads to the anarchy in our communities."

According to Luncheon, what was remarkable over the years of the PNC/R's resort to inflaming public opinion, was that in most instances the imagined morality of its positions and appeal to the virtuous sentiments of its followers never seemed to descend on the leaders themselves.

"Apart from the utterances, I am certain that the records will show that it is the rank and file schoolchildren who are digging up roads," he told reporters.

" I haven't seen any PNC leader digging up roads; I haven't seen any of them engage in those gross acts of illegal, indecent, immoral behaviour; no I haven't seen them, but I have seen the effect of their works. I have seen the way they have been able to mobilise ordinary people and create, in their minds, a notion that this is indeed an acceptable behaviour or an appropriate response to all the things that are happening in your communities."

"...when is it going to stop?...this is our fear, that...this continuous harping of anti-Police and the continuous insults being thrown out there create in the mind of the average follower, that these Policemen are fair game and `let us proceed to give effect to the rage and vexation brewing inside us'", Luncheon asserted.