Government has signed two contracts with a US firm to build capacity within the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA)and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), which among other things, will see the lawmen being trained in modern policing techniques.
The projects fall under the Citizen Security Programme (CSP) which is being funded by a US$22M loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The programme comprises three components namely the capacity building of the MoHA; the capacity building of the GPF; and the Community Action Component.
The Ministry announced the signing of the contracts in a press statement yesterday. It stated that the Emergence Group Inc. of the US had been awarded a 12-month contract to modernize the Ministry under the MoHA capacity building component. The consultancy will undertake work to strengthen the capabilities of the Ministry in the area of community safety, crime prevention and community policing; expand the capabilities of the Ministry to address strategic evaluations, analysis and research, and monitoring of the implementation of the modernization process.
It will also undertake work to strengthen the Immigration Services capacity at the Ministry to give effect to the policy of the Government on immigration and related matters; enhance the human resource capability of the Ministry to meet current and future challenges; and enhance the public relations capacity of the Ministry to improve communication with the Public and provide a better understanding of the role of the Ministry.
Another area where work will be done is to strengthen the information technology capabilities of the Ministry to provide a better communication/electronic network facility at the Ministry and between the Ministry and its related Agencies; and an improved Electronic Documentation System for the Ministry.
Additionally, the consultancy will undertake work to strengthen the monitoring capacity of the Ministry to satisfy its needs in the areas of planning, budgeting, monitoring and execution of programmes by the Ministry; reconfigure and enhance the role and function of the Public Sector Security capabilities of the Ministry to make it more relevant; strengthen the legal and legislative capacity of the Ministry and; strengthen the Ministry’s capabilities to treat with regional and international issues and programmes, and policies that have an impact on national security in collaboration with the other relevant government agencies
At the end of the Consultancy, it is also expected that there will be in place a better system at the Ministry to provide better civilian oversight of the three law enforcement agencies under the Ministry; and enhance accountability by the agencies under the Ministry, the statement said.
“In General, it is expected that the service delivery of the Ministry will be vastly improved with the proposed interventions”, the Ministry stated.
Meantime, another contract under the Capacity Building of the GPF component has been signed with the Emergence Group for the comprehensive training of the GPF in modern policing techniques. This will involve training trainers, “who will continue the training process long after the project has been completed” Training will be done in investigation and detection of crime; information management; recruit training; case management; human rights and neighbourhood policing; and internal and external accountability.
“The Government of Guyana expects that at the completion of these Consultancies, the Ministry of Home affairs will be able to deliver a more efficient and effective service to the Public and the Guyana Police Force will become equipped to perform its functions in a more efficient and effective way using modern Policing Techniques”, the statement said. The Emergence Group, according to its website designs and implement world class Justice Sector Reform and Democratic Policing programmes around the world. “We adapt to host-country conditions, and are highly responsive to the needs and expectations of our funders and host-country partners. To implement our specialized programs, we maintain a gold-standard cadre of justice sector professionals, including police executives, judges, prosecutors, and correctional officials. In our technical assistance programs, we often work with senior-level Ministry officials who can directly impact justice sector development in their country. The Emergence Group brings technical expertise, cultural understanding, and the power of personality to bear on all of our programs”, a statement on its website says.
It says that the Group’s capabilities include strategic planning and organizational development; community policing; counter-narcotics programs; anti-corruption; forensics; anti-human trafficking; women’s and human rights; academy development; technology implementation and border integrity and management.
It says it works closely with the United States Agency for International development (USAID), the United States Department of State and the US Drug Enforcement Agency.
The police force has been at the centre of criticism of much of the last 17 years of PPP/C governance over allegations of extrajudicial killings, torture, corruption, inability to investigate major crimes, ineffectiveness against the drug trade and a loss of public confidence in it.
