Some missing service weapons recovered - Blanhum
A number of firearms that were discovered missing from both the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have been recovered, according to Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum.
The Ministry of Home Affairs reported that Blanhum made the disclosure on Tuesday while giving a presentation on the national perspective regarding the state of the disarmament in Guyana’s security landscape at a Virtual Executive Seminar.
The seminar was held by the United Nations (UN) Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC).
According to a release issued by the ministry, during his presentation Blanhum noted that a “comprehensive” audit is currently ongoing.
In December last year, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn had confirmed that an investigation was underway into the disappearance of more than 150 firearms from the GPF Armoury.
He had said that information revealed that some of these firearms were “on the road”.
Sources had previously told this newspaper that the firearms were discovered missing during an audit in November, 2020.
Among the missing weapons are those belonging to citizens which were lodged for safe keeping, those seized during police operations, and some which were seized from persons fingered in criminal activities and were lodged as exhibits for the related court cases.
A number of ranks, including two subordinate officers and four constables, were placed under close arrest as part of the probe.
Meanwhile, the purpose of Tuesday’s seminar was to initiate the steps needed to map out Guyana’s priorities, plans and timelines for implementing the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap and to advance Guyana’s National Action Plan on the illicit proliferation of firearms and ammunitions.
Benn, who also participated in the seminar, noted in his remarks that the Government of Guyana assigned great importance towards the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
The release added that Benn also said that Guyana will work “keenly” with regional and international partners to achieve the successful implementation of the
National Action Plan.
Representatives from UNLIREC and the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) also presented during the seminar.
Among the participants were
Senior Representatives of CARICOM IMPACS, Deputy Director of UNLIREC, representative of the Germany’s Foreign Ministry, Non-Resident Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Guyana, Ute König, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of
Home Affairs, Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas, Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie, GDF Colonel Anderson, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Teshana James Lake, representatives of CANU and representatives of the Home Minister’s Secretariat.