Government is looking to pump $17.5B into the security sector this year and among the new initiatives envisioned are floating bases to help in the fight against drug trafficking and piracy.
This figure is $1.1B more than what was outlined in last year’s budget and comes amid sweeping new plans announced for the police force on December 31st last year.
The money will be focused on enhancing physical infrastructure, and providing air, land and water transport and equipment for the sector to carry out its mandate effectively.
This sector falls under the command of Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee who has been at war with the opposition following a no-confidence motion passed against him.
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh during his budget presentation yesterday in the National Assembly said that Government has embarked on a comprehensive programme of reform to the security sector. “The Government sees this as a long term process, and has designed a strategy which articulates a holistic approach to citizen security and safety, and public welfare”.
That strategy, according to Singh, focuses on key areas dealing with developing and strengthening administrative competencies, improving professionalism, strengthening accountability and integrity, deepening inter-organizational linkages for greater cohesiveness and impact, expanding on safe neighbourhoods pilots, and establishing houses of justice to allow for greater people participation and involvement in public safety and security issues.
He reminded the House that in 2012, $16.4B was expended for the continued development and modernization of the security sector. In this regard, five- year strategic plans, he said, were completed for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Police and Prisons and these now guide the priorities of these agencies. He said that $872.7M was spent in 2012 on the acquisition and maintenance of essential security-related equipment. Eighteen police stations in Regions Four and Six were equipped with computers and connected to force headquarters. Singh also made mention of the new fire stations at Diamond and Mahaica, continuing construction works on the fire service training school at Leonora and on the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory which will be finished during the latter part of this year.
Intense
For this year, interventions will be made to enhance citizen confidence in the law enforcement system. There will also be more intense collaboration among the joint services to ensure maintenance of security and stability, Singh said.
He said that the implementation of the three strategic plans will allow for more effective prioritization in the use of the sum of $17.5B which has been allocated to the sector. With regards to the fight against drugs and piracy, the maritime sector, according to Singh, will benefit from the greater physical presence of personnel with the operationalizing of floating bases in Regions Two and Six.
In support of further advancing the capabilities of the safety and security personnel, he said that police ranks from the level of constable to assistant commissioner will benefit from mandatory overseas training while fire service personnel will benefit from the new training school.
“Crime and security are also a global concern and Guyana continues to play a principal role internationally in fighting crime”, he added.
Meanwhile in relation to the Justice Sector, Singh announce that $2.1B will be expended for this sector, an additional $0.1B compared to last year.
He said that this year focus will be placed on consolidating improvements in the operations of the justice system. The criminal justice system, he said will benefit from attention paid to coordination and collaboration among relevant agencies.
“More judges, better trained police prosecutors, increased capacity and expansion of the office of the DPP into the administrative regions, and better resourced magisterial districts all have the potential of significantly improving the functioning of the criminal justice system in 2013”, Singh told the National Assembly.
Construction works at the Magistrates’ Courts in Wales, Lethem and Linden are expected to be completed during the first half of this year, he said while noting that the recently completed Mediation Centre in New Amsterdam is expected to become fully operational before the end of the year.
Additionally, Singh said that the Family Court will be brought into operation. Singh said too that the Supreme Court will be launching a website during the second half of the year to include listings, status of cases, hearing dates and completion dates for all cases pertaining to the Bail, Commercial, Family, and Constitutional Courts, and Chambers applications.
