Quoting reggae legend Bob Marley, an upbeat Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee yesterday re-commissioned three police stations on the East Coast Demerara as part of the Citizens Security Programme (CSP).
The Mahaica, Beterverwagting and Sparendaam police stations have been rehabilitated to the tune of $57 million. They are now modernized and boosted with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment, which will help officers promptly send files and complaints to Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.
The re-modelled stations now boast interview rooms, special complaints units and rooms dedicated solely for complaints regarding to domestic violence, where maximum privacy is afforded.
Stating that the press had put photographs of the decrepit buildings in the Parika Police Station compound on the front page, Rohee, in his feature address urged that the re-commissioned stations be afforded the same placement. “…Because we want to see some Rastaman vibrations, which will be positive vibrations,” the minister said paraphrasing Marley.
Rohee said government had made a decision to hire 60 data entry clerks, to assist officers in entering their daily reports into the system so they could be dispatched to headquarters with some alacrity. “Out of the 60 we have already hired 16 and I am proud, as a Guyanese, to know the [number] of applications we received,” he added. He urged the police officers to act professionally, noting that his ministry had received numerous complaints of harassment of citizens by officers and that a public advisory will be issued on the procedure of making a report to the police station.
He added that because of the vast economic and social development within Region 4, there is a need for heightened security as persons are relying on the police for efficient service. He noted that economic and social development go hand in hand with law and order in a country.
Rohee said the cost of the rehabilitation and efforts to modernize the force was not solely covered by the CSP, and the national budget also has a part to play in it. He added that the buildings are a reflection of the police force and urged ranks to care for their buildings.
Acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell urged his men to ensure that their equipment remain intact in the right places. He stated that through the modernization of the GPF the police stations are now user friendly and ensured comfort and privacy of both the officers and citizens. He added, “The men can now feel free to come and report that they were abused by their wives without the fear of being laughed at.”
Brumell urged the ranks to act professionally and ensure quality deliverance of their services to the general public.
“I don’t like police saying that it is only me at the station when someone calls, they have radios make use of them. And another thing… if we know that persons have to come with taxi to take officers to scenes we will put that officer in a place where he will leave the job,” Brumell warned.
Eighteen police stations have been rehabilitated under the CSP in keeping with its components which are: Police Institution Modernization, Modernization of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Modernization of the Guyana Police Force (GPF). CSP is a US$22 million project between the government and the Inter-American Develop-ment Bank (IDB) and was initiated in 2008. Under the project, also, an integrated crime system was introduced and a comprehensive officer training programme was introduced which to date has trained over 300 ranks.
