(GINA) - HOME Affairs Minister Mr. Ronald Gajraj and a high-level team of crime fighters recently returned from neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago where they attended a two-day private sector-organised seminar on combating crime.
Sponsored by CLICO under the theme, 'Understanding and combating crime-a leadership perspective for difficult times', the seminar examined crime patterns and possible solutions.
In attendance were former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani and the 40th Commissioner of Police for the city of New York, Bernard Kerick. Together, the two men achieved a high degree of success in reducing crime in their city.
Speaking with the Government Information Agency (GINA) on his return, Minister Gajraj said the presentations made by Giuliani and Kerick were informative and provided new insights into ways for implementing crime-fighting measures.
Gajraj noted that Giuliani’s and Kerick's successes in combating crime were based on three main components: vision, a process to achieve the vision and accountability. These formed the hallmark of their success, Gajraj said.
In an interview with the Trinidad and Tobago media, the Guyanese Home Affairs Minister, noted that there were some similarities in the crime pattern here in Guyana and in the twin-island republic. He pointed to kidnapping, a crime that has seen an upsurge in Trinidad and Tobago.
According to Minister Gajraj, Guyana has had a high number of carjackings, which are directly related to criminal deportees sent to Guyana over the past two years.
The Minister noted that the Police Force was able to take remedial action, especially in terms of training law enforcement officers to address this type of crime and particularly the calibre of criminals committing such acts.
The Minister is convinced that deportees are involved in crimes currently being perpetrated.
Gajraj also noted that the influx of deportees has led to a sharp vigil being kept on corrupt Government officials, particularly in the immigration offices.
He explained that many deportees will try every means possible to return to the country from where they were deported and in trying to do so, they will try to bribe and corrupt Government functionaries. This will not be tolerated, the Minister warned.
Attention is also being paid to the influence criminal deportees are having on their local counterparts. It has been noted that local criminals "look-up" to those deportees sent back from North America, perceiving such deportees as having 'sophisticated' criminal knowledge and know-how.
According to Minister Gajraj, there has been an increase in illegal arms and ammunition coming into the country, which the Government is dealing with.
Accompanying the Minister to the seminar were the Commissioner of Police Mr. Floyd McDonald, Crime Chief Mr. Leon Trim and Head of Special Branches.
Efforts are now being directed to have the applicable aspects of the seminar shared with the Force.