Armed robbery is now common at bureaux de change in the country. In some cases, it had turned out fatal as the attacker or attackers killed their victim. This is becoming a serious threat to lives and properties and has the potential to negatively affect investment.
It is true that in most cases, the culprits are caught and prosecuted but that seems to be a case of the doctor arriving after the patient had already died. Many young girls – who are mostly the ones employed at such agencies – now think twice before taking up a job like that. This is causing a lot of problems for the people who are interested in doing such business.
It is true that many Gambians are not very security conscious perhaps owing to the fact that the country has been known to be a peace haven especially in the sub-region. People feel safe and do not therefore see the need for extra precautions. It is not uncommon to see a person pull out bundles of money in public places or public transport. That is because they feel completely safe in their surroundings.
However, with the explosion of the population and the influx of people from different countries and backgrounds, coupled with the biting economic conditions in the country, things have taken a serious turn and urgent measures need to be taken to ensure the safety of the people. This will take a concerted effort to ensure that the desired results are achieved.
True, the Gambia police are is doing their very best to protect the lives and properties of the people of the country but they sometimes seem to be overwhelmed as crime increases in not only volume but form as well. Criminals seem to be evolving and the security agencies must evolve right along or risk being left holding the can, as it were.
The Government must now realize that security in this day and age is expensive and the people entrusted with enforcing the law must be given all the tools and incentives they need to do their jobs well. They must be well paid, well trained and well equipped so as to do their jobs. It is high time the policymakers looked into this and make every effort to give the police what they require to do their jobs.
