The current Minister responsible for Public Security, Robeson Benn and the former Minister who overlooked the same portfolio under the last Government, Khemraj Ramjattan, clashed in the National Assembly this morning over the management of the security sector and the investment in resources.
In his contribution to the Budget Debates, Opposition Member of Parliament and former Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, noted an almost 16% increase in budgetary allocations for the country’s security sector. Mr. Ramjattan accused the Government of misaligning of funds for the sector, adding that large spending on Police infrastructure without actual institutional improvements, remains a cause for concern.
“It remains skewed to pursue infrastructure rather than institutional improvement and the broader framework required for national safety. For example, we are going to reconstruct the Brickdam police station at $1.7 Billion and that accounts for a staggering 34% of the Police infrastructure budget. This is what I call a disproportionate allocation, which raises critical questions about whether the resources are being strategically utilized and properly allocated,” Mr. Ramjattan said.
According to the Opposition MP, in addition to increasing infrastructure in the Hinterland, human development is crucial in the process. He said there must be increased specialized training to deal with new forms of crime.
He proposed the development of a National Security Policy to address the problems in the country’s security sector and to respond to modern security challenges.
“Our limited coastal patrol capabilities can do damage to securing the safety of people, there is too limited coastal patrol capabilities and then also we have an insufficient radar and aerial surveillance coverage, we are weak in inter-agency coordination as in very very weak, right now,” Mr. Ramjattan noted.
Mr. Ramjattan called for increased allocations for maritime security, pointing out that the current allocations are inadequate.
In response, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn told the National Assembly that he believes that the spending on infrastructure in the security sector is justified. He said in order to properly respond to crime, there must be proper facilities in place.
He rubbished claims that infrastructural spending is centered on the Coastland, explaining that new Police stations are being built in almost every region.
He agreed, however, that capacity must be built to respond to the emerging types of crime in the country.
Minister Benn noted that petty crimes are at an all time low here, while the Police continue to take up the challenge of fighting transnational types of crime.
“I hasten to say that the type of crime is not related to Guyana specifically in itself, but it comes about as a function of drug trade. It functions because of the arms trafficking, money laundering and trafficking in persons in respect of the matter,” the Home Affairs Minister noted.
Benn said there have been marked improvements not only in the Police Force, but also for the Guyana Fire and Prison services.
Police stations in the country were left in a state of disrepair under the previous Government, Benn said, as he defended the $108.7B allocated to the Security Sector in this year’s budget.
“Yes, we are building new police stations. Yes, we have to build a new police station at Brickdam, a new modern edifice because I wouldn’t describe how I found some of the barracks when we took over. But the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was in a state of collapse, amongst many others,” Minister Benn said.
The Brickdam Police Station was destroyed by fire in 2021.
Minister Benn said in 2024, the Police Force expanded its foot print across the country with police stations built and rebuilt in several communitiies.
With concern expressed about the underperformance of the Guyana Police Force, Minister Benn assured the House that in addition to capital investments, steps are also being taken to improve the efficiency and integrity of the Force, and also its ability to investigate white collar crimes including corruption at various levels.
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