A press release from the ministry in the form of an advertisement in yesterday’s Sunday Chronicle said that Detective Sergeant Sherlock Houston attended the `Advanced Narcotic Investigation Course’ in Jamaica from April 29th, 2013 to May 10th, 2013.
Cadet officers Mahadeo Singh and Collin Sullivan will be attending a course on `Administration of Police Units’ at the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Interior Affairs of Russia from today to May 25, 2013.
Superintendents Wendell Blanhum and Ravindradat Budhram will participate in a training programe on `Crime Prevention’ in Seoul, South Korea from May 16th,2013 to June 8th, 2013.
Senior Superintendent Paul Williams is to attend the `International Conference for Police and law Enforcement and Rescue Executives’ in Toronto, Canada from May 26 to May 28.
The advertisement said that Acting Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell was present at the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police conference in Bermuda from April 29th to May 2nd.
It further said that fire officer Haimchandra Persaud attended the 2nd Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Assistance and Protection Training Course for Instructors in the Hague, the Netherlands from May 1st to May 8th.
Announcing police reforms on December 31, 2012, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said that in preparation for this year’s budget, the ministry had submitted a “radically different draft budget” to the Ministry of Finance for its consideration.
“Whereas in the past only five per cent of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ budgetary provision was allocated for local training, for 2013 more than 30% of the budgetary provision will be utilised for training both locally and overseas,” he said. He also announced that the ministry in consultation with the senior management of the GPF has agreed that for the year 2013, it will be mandatory for ranks from the level of constable to assistant commissioner to be sent abroad for training.
Added to that, Cabinet had approved a policy on study leave for police, prison and fire services ranks, allowing them to pursue academic studies at the University of Guyana and other institutions of higher learning locally and overseas without losing benefits and entitlements.
Rohee also announced that on the advice of his ministry, Brumell has identified several police ranks at the level of cadets to be trained at the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School and the Guyana Defence Force, with the intention of establishing a police aeronautical branch. Strong possibilities now exist for the force to own and operate its own aircraft, he said.
