The government is expected to spend some $15.9 billion in the security and justice sector this year while greater emphasis will be given to serious crimes and activities that adversely affect the lives of citizens, Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh said yesterday.
Dr Singh, during his budget presentation, said greater emphasis on serious crime will result from greater use of information and communication technology, intelligence gathering, operational capacity strengthening, training, improved investigative capability, strengthened community policing and intensified collaboration with regional and intentional agencies.
$1.1 billion will be provided for the construction of a modern forensic laboratory and firefighting training school, new fire stations at Mahaica and Diamond, completion of the training facility for the police force, remodelling of six police stations, rehabilitation and maintenance of police and fire stations, outposts, prisons, barracks and basis throughout the country.
In addition, Singh said, over $140 million will be spent on training the security forces to improve their response capability along with $662.2 million being allocated for the purchase of vehicles including trucks, pick-ups, fire tenders and buses. From that sum $80.5 million relates to the expanding the hinterland fire protection drive with the purchase of all terrain water tenders and trailer pumps for Port Kaituma, Mahdia, Mabaruma, Kwakwani and Lethem.
Meanwhile, Singh announced that a total of $2.4 billion has been budgeted to consolidate advances made within the justice sector. He said that operationalising of the Family Court later this year will result in the provision of a facility where family law, including child custody cases, will be addressed in a specialized environment. $195.4 million is allocated for the construction, rehabilitation and extension of Mibicuri, Whim, Lethem, Christianburg and George-town Magistrate Courts.
And in an attempt to improve the efficiency of the judicial administrative system, Singh said that an electronic document management software will be implemented at the High Court in an effort to monitor new cases being filed. The system is expected to be operational later this year while the operation of the digital speech recording system to reduce the time taken to record evidence in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal will also be effected this year.
In addition, judges and magistrates will benefit from training in court administration and time management, and methods of dealing with domestic violence.
