In a scathing attack during the second day of the 2025 budget debate, Shadow Home Affairs Minister Khemraj Ramjattan lambasted the government’s security policies, accusing them of being a shallow, misguided approach to law enforcement. Ramjattan sharply criticised the administration for placing too much emphasis on infrastructure projects, such as the $9 billion budget for police stations, while neglecting the more pressing need for specialised human capacity development in the police force and justice system.
Ramjattan, a former Public Security Minister, expressed his disappointment that 36% of the entire police infrastructure budget was directed at the renovation of the Brickdam Police Station, leaving crucial systemic issues like inadequate training, cybersecurity, and poor inter-agency coordination unaddressed.
Ramjattan lambasted the government for crafting a budget on the security sector that ignored its real needs, prioritising bricks and mortar, while the actual security workforce was left to wither on the vine. He emphasised the need for specialised training in cybercrime, forensic analysis, and crime scene management, which are critical to modern crime fighting.
The parliamentarian did not hold back, raising concerns that the focus on infrastructure at the expense of training and human resource development would only lead to a poorly equipped and demoralised security force unable to meet the demands of modern crime.
Ramjattan also blasted the government for neglecting the hinterland regions, accusing them of concentrating resources solely in Georgetown under the guise of development while leaving critical areas under-served and vulnerable.
The shadow minister’s remarks were met with immediate pushback from Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn, who swiftly rejected the allegations and defended the government’s approach. Benn countered that the government’s efforts, including the ongoing construction of new police stations, ambulances, and fire stations, were tangible proof of progress. He boasted the physical transformation is visible to every Guyanese, ignoring Ramjattan’s focus on the technical, human investment and equitable deficiencies.
Benn also took a swipe at Ramjattan’s critique, dismissing it as unfounded. Despite the back-and-forth, Ramjattan remained unmoved, reiterating that the real problem lay in the government’s failure to address the human aspects of security, including specialised career pathways for law enforcement officers and the urgent need for performance metrics to ensure effective training and outcomes.
The debate over security funding underscored a larger issue at play in the 2025 budget: the government’s failure to balance infrastructure with human development. While the administration touts visible infrastructure projects, critics like Ramjattan argue that without investing in the workforce tasked with ensuring public safety, those shiny new police stations and fire engines will be little more than empty promises.
