Guyanese in greater danger now than ever before

-- PNCR

 

 

The military has not protected citizens

 

The main opposition People's National Congress Reform says that under the present government, Guyanese are more at risk of losing a family member, of losing their assets, of becoming less healthy and more at risk of dying.


The funeral of the late Minister of Agriculture Satyadeow Sawh, his brother Rampat Sawh and sister Pulmattie Persaud

 

The party, in a statement issued yesterday, stated that Guyanese are in greater danger now than ever before.

“The threat to our lives and property has never been greater. At no previous time since Independence are Guyanese more likely than now to lose their health, their property, their minds and their very lives

“The frequency and severity of flooding has increased. Violent crime pervades our streets and communities. Poverty has escalated. Suicides have increased. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other health threats has risen to endemic proportions. “Doctors report the highest occurrence of stress related disorders ever recorded in Guyana .

“Pollution, especially from mining in the hinterland, now poses serious health hazards to Amerindians and other interior residents,” the party statement said.

According to the party, more than ever before, floods now threaten lives and property.

The party pointed out that the Great Flood of January 2005 devastated the livelihoods of over 200,000 persons.

“Dozens of persons lost their lives to leptospirosis, drowning and other causes. Damage to homes, farms, businesses ran into the billions of dollars. The emotional and mental anguish experienced by Guyanese was immeasurable.”

Ten months later, the floods have revisited. Entire districts in Regions Two, Three, Five and Six are once again submerged, the party said.

“More than ever before, HIV/AIDS poses a major threat. According to UNAID, Guyana , in 2003, was among the most affected countries in the Western Hemisphere . AIDS is currently the leading cause of death among persons in the 25–44 year age group, and the second leading cause of death overall.

“Likewise the number of tuberculosis cases in Guyana is increasing, in large part because of widespread poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic,” the PNCR stated.

Guyana , in 2004, recorded 1,123 active TB cases, up from 978 cases in 2003. Guyana now has the highest TB incidence rate in the Caribbean .

“More than ever before, Guyanese are likely to be the victims of violent crimes, be it murder, rape, armed robbery, or domestic abuse.”

The PNCR said that reasons for this upsurge are many, but definite causes are the poverty and hopelessness, wider availability of guns and the rise of narco-trafficking, all due to a corrupt, uncaring, incompetent and ineffectual government.

“Not only are Guyanese in more danger of losing health and property, and their lives but they are also in more danger of losing their country and their way of life. We refer here to the spread of narco-business into our economic, social and political fabric.

“Under a facilitating PPP/C Government, narco-business has expanded to crisis proportions in Guyana . The government has allowed Guyana to become a major trans-shipment point for narcotics.”

Statistics show that in 2004, U.S. law enforcement recorded more than 200 seizures or incidents of illicit drugs, linked to Guyana . In the United Kingdom , the authorities recently seized £54.5 million worth of cocaine.

The sum of these seizures in the United States and United Kingdom amounted to hundreds of millions of US dollars. Cocaine from Guyana has been discovered in exports of, among other products, frozen fish, timber, rice, molasses and coconuts.

“Guyana now boasts a business classification known as the Proceeds Of Crime or POC sector and made up of companies that are involved in, or have benefited (or are benefiting) from, narco-trafficking, money laundering, smuggling, human-trafficking, back tracking, etc.

“International Agencies estimate that the POC sector probably accounts for close to 50 per cent of the Guyana GDP,” the PNCR stated.

According to the main opposition party, narco-trafficking has serious implications for Guyana . The PNCR said that this undermines our national sovereignty and our democracy.

“It pollutes our politics and our economy. If left unchecked, many of the decisions that affect our lives in Guyana would be made by local and international drug barons, who have no loyalties to any country or anyone but to themselves and to their trade. How have we, as a nation, arrived at this point? Why are Guyanese at greater risk?” the PNCR statement asked.




Friday 01-20-2006