The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) notes with “tremendous concern, the escalating rate of crime that is occurring in Guyana”.
In a statement issued today, the private sector entity said that the “perpetuation of these violent crimes is of great concern to the members of the Chamber as it directly impacts the welfare of the citizens and enterprises of the country”.
“In particular, it has been noted that there seems to be an increasing rate of criminal activities against the business community. This has created an air of fear amongst the community in Guyana, as well as the wider citizenry. The GCCI calls on the authorities to take stern actions against the criminal elements and ramp up its campaign against crime fighting. The Chamber continues to remain willing to assist in any way possible and continues to view itself as a partner in development and nation building”.
The GCCI’s statement comes one day after the Guyana Police Force boasted of a 29.8% decrease in serious crimes for this year so far, compared to the same period last year.
The force also reported a 38.4% decrease in armed robberies where firearms were used by the perpetrators and a 47.7% decrease in armed robberies where other instruments were used.
Murder has also seen a 22.9% decrease with 37 to date this year compared to 48 for the similar period last year.
