The police in this case deserve commendation for this tremendous job and hope that it will continue.
Mr. President, in as much as the police want to do their job perfectly, they are also faced with several challenges that need to be addressed soonest.
Mobility is one of the biggest challenges faced by the police as most police stations are without vehicles and that affects their quick response to complaints and investigations.
Fuel for vehicles, uniforms, communication gadgets, weapons and protective gadgets, torch lights etc. are all constraints hindering the work of the police in the country.
Mr. President, scholarship for expert trainings on forensic investigations, crime scene investigation, traffic management, fingerprint experts, public order management, weapon handling and tactics, scientific laboratory, technology in law enforcement are needed for the police.
The police also need to be motivated and their salaries revisited because their work involves a lot of risk.
They should have a support scheme to assist them if they get injured along the line of duty.
Mr. President, the crime rates are increasing daily.
Taking a look at the social media, you will see that thieves are apprehended almost daily, nakedly parading some and others seriously beaten at individual houses.
This is bad publicity for the country and needs to be stopped soon.
Mr. President, the security should be alert to focus in foreign exchange bureaus, banks, supermarkets and petrol stations because it seems the armed robbers are now changing from operating at night to operating during the day. On Saturday around 8 a.m., armed robbers attacked a foreign exchange bureau in Kololi, beat the female employee and ran away with thousands of dalasis. People should be careful with the taxi they hire because some of the drivers could be criminals.
Mr. President, one is tempted to say that the cause of rising crimes could be the result of hardship, unemployment, drug dealing, and many deportations from the U.S., Libya and Germany. Some of these deportees were jailed in foreign countries and they could end up involved in criminal activities when they have no other means of earning a decent living.
People can no longer enjoy their sleep at night because of the fear of thieves and armed robbers.
Mr. President, if the insecurity of the country continues like this, businesses will be affected, because investors and tourists will no longer come to the Gambia and in reality it will affect your political career.
More CCTV cameras and solar street lights are also needed to help see and identify criminals.
Both the police and the army should be patrolling day and night and have toll free numbers. Immigration too is facing constraints and their workers should be motivated too.
Act now before it is too late.
Finally Mr. President, voter registration will start May 29th to July 11th 2021 and to boost transparency, IEC should invite all political parties to send in representatives to help in the screening of people registering for voters' cards.
There should be security in all places
Let's pray that the registration ends well.
Good day!