– more work still to be doneHome Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has expressed satisfaction with the work done by the Guyana Police Force in effectively dealing with the main challenges it faced throughout the year.Among the challenges faced were the threat to the national security of the country posed by criminal gangs, in particular the marauding gang headed by the now deceased Rondell Rawlins, called Fine Man, and his cohorts, and the management of the traffic situation after the dramatic rise in the number of fatal accidents during the last quarter of 2007.Speaking to reporters at his end-of-year press conference,Cheap NFL Jerseys, Rohee said that in light of the challenges members of the force had to quickly adjust their operational strategies to deal with the difficulties that confronted them especially in the area of crime during the year.“I am pleased to report that the Guyana Police Force has been able to effectively deal with both challenges. In their battles with the criminals, the lives of four policemen were snuffed out and a number of ranks received injuries. The criminals had become so barefaced that they even attacked police headquarters. Firm action had to be and was taken to deal with this alarming development,” the Minister pointed out.He added that, coupled with the losses suffered by the force, many innocent civilians lost their lives at the hands of bandits.He explained that the massacres at Lusignan, Bartica and Lindo Creek bear testimony to the savagery that the members of the force were forced to confront.While the investigation into the Lindo Creek massacre is still inconclusive in the absence of reports from overseas experts who were called in to assist local detectives, the Minister is convinced that the deaths of the miners were the work of the late notorious Rondell Rawlins and his gang.“I must hasten to commend the members of the Joint Services, in particular the Guyana Defence Force which also suffered casualties, for the unwavering support given to the police in its hour of need. The confrontations with the criminals were ferocious,” Rohee said.The Minister believes that only the good quality of training received by members of the Joint Services who confronted those criminals prevented more deaths among members of their ranks.During the engagements with the criminals,Jerseys From China, many arrests were made, some criminals lost their lives and a substantial amount of arms, ammunition and other equipment was recovered.Significant inroads have been made into the operations of the criminals and, according to Rohee, the task to arrest the remaining members of the gangs and recover illegal weapons in their possession is ongoing and is far from over.He also thanked members of the public for their support of the force and the Ministry of Home Affairs during the year in dealing with the criminal enterprise.“The bravery of the members of the police force and the support of the Community Policing Groups cannot go unnoticed,” he said.In the area of traffic management, Rohee stated that everyone is aware of the situation into which the country was plunged during the last quarter of 2007, with the unacceptable number of deaths recorded on the roads.He added that drastic remedial action had to be taken under the circumstances.“I can confidently report that,Cheap Jerseys From China Online, while the situation has not been reversed to the desired level, significant progress has been made.”The Minister pointed to the traffic figures up to December 10, which show a 54.6% reduction in road fatalities when compared with last year.There was also a significant reduction in the deaths of children which amounted to seven as at December 10 as compared with 30 for the same period last year.“These figures represent a dramatic turnaround of events for the year 2008. This success could be attributed to more law-enforcement activities on our roads. There is still the need for motorists and pedestrians to exercise more courtesy and care on our roads.“Speeding on our highways needs to be curbed. I wish to compliment the Guyana Police Force, especially the Traffic Department, for a job well done during the year,” the Home Affairs Minister said.Another issue confronting the force is illegal firearms. According to Rohee the continued smuggling of firearms into the country is a source of concern to his Ministry.While the police force has continued to recover some of the illegal weapons, those remaining in the hands of unauthorised persons,Wholesale China Jerseys, to wit criminals, have and are being used to commit crimes and intimidate law-abiding members of society.The Home Affairs Minister said that the Joint Services are collaborating in their efforts to recover those illegal weapon