Reduction in serious crimes linked to strategic initiatives – Min Benn

-12 per cent reduction in serious crime recorded last year

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) recorded a decrease in serious crimes in 2024 and the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, is confident that it has to do with the strategic measures and the SAFE Country initiative.

“The strategic initiatives which we have put in place have resulted in those numbers. The initiatives that we have been working on … are also linked to the establishment of command centres,” Minister Benn said.

The minister informed the media that four command centres have been established in Regions Three, Five and Six, following the establishment of the centre in Region Four.

The command centres are the bedrock of the SAFE Country initiative, which is aimed at improving the detection and prevention of criminal acts with an emphasis on faster interventions.

The initiative gives law enforcement agencies access to closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and is a critical component of the government’s holistic agenda to improve security and attract foreign investment.

During an earlier press conference, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said that the high clearance rate of major crimes is a result of his government’s investments in technology and equipment.

The head of state commended the police force’s remarkable progress in fighting crime and expressed his satisfaction with their performance in 2024.

President Ali affirmed his government’s continued commitment to investment in the security sector in order to create a safe country for all Guyanese.