The Home Affairs Ministry today signed a contract with the United Kingdom-based Capita Symonds firm for consultancy services for the Guyana Police Force in keeping with the Security Sector Strategic Plan which was unveiled by the government on December 31 last year.
GINA said that the contract, valued US$129,750 or approximately $25M, is expected to last about four to six weeks, focusing on: administration, succession planning, integrity/probity, and public relations/communications.
The consultancy firm is no stranger to the GPF, as it has held engagements with the law enforcement agency since 2000. Critics of the PPP/C have queried why the suggestions first tendered in 2000 were not acted upon by the then government. The critics also noted that the contract signing comes just over three years after a much publicized falling out between the then Jagdeo administration and the UK over security reforms. The UK withdrew proposed funding after the government balked at several elements of the package. The UK High Commissioner was present at yesterday’s signing.
GINA said that work on the Strategic Plan is rapidly moving apace since its launch in December.
Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee in his remarks said that advertisements have already been placed in the media for 10 highly trained civilians, who will form the strategic management department and will work with the leadership of the Force to ensure proper implementation of the plan.
“I have complete confidence in the Capita Symonds team because they have worked in Guyana for many years and they were associated with one of the first strategic plans that was drafted for the Force known as the ‘Symonds Report’,” Minister Rohee pointed out, according to GINA.
Associate Director, Capita Symonds, Paul Wadsworth said the company has had very good experiences working here and it looks forward to lending its support towards the successful implementation of the reforms in the Force.
Team leader, Paul Mathias said that Capita Symonds has had a strong presence in the region over the years, having worked with the Jamaican Constabulary and CARICOM, GINA reported.
Mathias said that he worked with the Force when the late Laurie Lewis was Police Commissioner and posited that, “it is heartening to see the developments that have taken place since then and now to be part of this major initiative is indeed an honour.”
British High Commissioner to Guyana, Andrew Ayre said that this initiative is valuable for the future development of this country and called on all parties to support its implementation.
GINA noted that the Strategic Plan was drawn up by the Capita Symonds firm in 2010 while the Implementation Plan was composed by the United States-based firm, the Julian Laite Consultancy in February, 2012.