In a bid to address the spiraling rate of piracy in local waters, Khemraj Ramjattan made a daring recommendation in his maiden address to the National Assembly as Minister of Public Security. He said that fishermen should be given guns and ammunition to go out on their fishing trips.Minister of Public Security, Khemraj RamjattanIt was also proposed that those guns would then be returned to the police station from whence they were uplifted.According to Ramjattan, in a recent interview with this publication, however,
China Jerseys Cheap, that suggestion has since encountered criticism from the most unlikely source– the fishermen themselves.“They would prefer that we have patrols in mid ocean with them. I told them that that’s too expensive. The other (option) is to arm them and whenever someone comes to attack them they can take care of themselves.”“However, a lot of them seem reluctant to do that. I don’t know, then, what would be the option.”He did subsequently identify one way that might offset costs and provide fishermen with ample protection to allow them to ply their trade in peace given the arrival of oil and the need for a joint services’ presence in the waters to safeguard oil assets.“The next option would then be to wait until we find oil. Then we could have more patrol boats watching them while they are fishing.”The Minister however spoke of a plan that had been brought to his intention through recommendations in the local media– the creation of a marine wing.“It was in today’s newspaper, where someone wrote about anti-piracy and I have asked the Permanent Secretary (Angela Johnson) to get up that plan.”“The person wrote about setting up a marine wing. I like the idea and I will have to check that plan, which I understand was there since 2013. I will try to implement as much as possible.”Since assuming the post of Public Security Minister,
Wholesale China Jerseys, Ramjattan has put forward several recommendations aimed at eradicating piracy. In addition to the ‘guns for fishermen’ plan,
Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping, he had also recommended equipment that could show the relevant authorities the position of boats when in trouble.He had explained that with such equipment,
Cheap China Jerseys, in cases where a heist was in progressive and a 911 call was made, there would have been a quick response from the coast guard or other police branches, in order to give a chance to ranks that a ‘hot pursuit’ could be launched.Ramjattan also provided an update on the gun amnesty programme. Though he stated that he was working in collaboration with Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud in order to iron out the operational procedures, he also intimated that he had run into some difficulties with the initiative.“It is not as easy as I initially thought. But it is something I want to see happen. A lot of people have been critical, saying that that will not stop gun violence. It will not, but it is one of the factors that will contribute,
Cheap NFL Shop, if people bring in those illegal weapons that they have.”He stated that the operational phases included working out where the guns would be sent and the requirements.However, he pointed out that the Police commissioner had urged that they (Public Security) think out the amnesty programme carefully before implementation.
