Georgetown : Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has reported that Guyana is working in the context of international cooperation with a United Nations body to address the question of stockpiling firearms and ammunition, and how to deal with over accumulation of those which are obsolete.
The UN body, United Nations Office for Disarmament’s Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNILIREC) will guide Guyana on how to dispense with firearms, as well as securing stock piles in ways that are in keeping with certain international standards.
Two experts from UNILIREC responded to an invitation from the Government of Guyana (GOG) on this mission which has proved helpful to the country.
Minister Rohee said Senior Programme Officer of the Public Security Programme, UNILIREC, Juliet Solomon and Technical Advisor, Stockpile Management and Weapons Destruction, UNILIREC, Ian Ruddock, have visited a number of stakeholders during their visit here to conduct a baseline survey.
“In three weeks’ time, after the visit, we will expect a report. Based on that report, we are expecting some recommendations which the GOG will study with a view to determining the extent to which we will implement those recommendations,” he stated. Pointing out that there are no sanctions involved if Guyana does not implement the UNILIREC recommendations, he explained however, “in the context of best practices and your treaty obligations you are expected to do your best to adhere to these principles to which you have signed on.”
Minister Rohee stated that while this move by Government is not necessarily a part of the security reform process, “it is part of bringing better management to our armories, whether they are in the Guyana Defence Force, Police Force, Municipalities or Prisons, wherever there may be a stockpile of firearms. The idea is to bring a better system of management, utilisation, and disposal of those that have become technically obsolete,” he further stated.
Ms. Solomon explained that the two-member team’s visit is in the context of a Caribbean assistance package. “This is a regional assistance package and we have done it across the board, Guyana is one of the latest countries. We are looking to assess what areas of assistance we can provide,’ she explained.
The UNILIREC official said the body provides assistance in several areas in terms of securing weapons’ stockpiles and managing them. She added that guidance is also provided in the broader context of legislation. “We can provide legal assistance in looking at all the legislation so we can see that it is up to date and meeting treaty obligations. We can provide physical means to destroy weapons. Things like hydraulic shears, or burning tanks, or even international standard padlocks for security stockpiles. We can also provide training in the use of these things and in methods for securing stockpiles up to international standards, and destroying weapons and ammunitions.”
Ms. Solomon reported that during the team’s visit they have looked at a number of weapons’ facilities and met with officials of the Police and Defence forces and the Guyana Revenue Authority.
Focusing on the not so recent theft of AK-47 rifles from the GDF which had raised serious concerns, Solomon said that UNILIREC can help to prevent this.
“In terms of physically preventing theft, yes, we do an assessment of the actual facility and we can provide the physical assistance mentioned before such as the international standard padlocks for security stockpiles and the relevant training to have a system of checks and balances which will help to eliminate or alleviate those kinds of problems as well as training in the methods for securing stockpiles up to international standards,” she explained.
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