A state-of-the-art $65 million police station was commissioned by Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan at Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara yesterday, with ‘user-friendly’ facilities that include a special room for dealing with domestic violence complaints.
The two-storey building, which includes male and female barrack rooms, a domestic violence interview room, an ID parade room with one-way viewing glass for the protection of witnesses and victims, and a modern lock-ups, was officially opened during a ceremony held in the police station’s compound yesterday afternoon.
Delivering the feature address, Ramjattan said that with the construction of the modern building, the police in the community will be in a better position to protect and serve residents of the area.
“…It was built to provide the necessary policing services that we have, namely serve and protect, but it also sets about presenting another illustration of what this government is also doing at the community level and that is providing the facilities for protection, providing the facilities for prevention of crimes,” he said.
Ramjattan said that the government has done a “tremendous amount” of investment in the security sector of the country. “…It is [not] only training our policemen or furthering their education but also getting the assets necessary so that when trained, they will utilise these assets for even improved services to the community,” he added.
He said the goal is to ensure that police stations across the country are user-friendly to ensure confidentiality.
“We want to ensure that we make these police stations that are going to be user-friendly by members of the public and also those who will come to make complaints, those who will come to use it, those who will come to be giving witness statements and those who with, in view of a new development with domestic violence and intra family incidents, that they are going to have privacy when talking and not be in an enquires office making a complaint, have to speak loudly and then the entire community have to hear their business. We want confidentiality in certain proceedings and the space to ensure those confidentiality,” Ramjattan said.
He added that the duty to ensure reduced crimes and an increase in security and stability is not only exclusively that of law enforcement but has a lot to do with the community. “It also has to be with gaining the confidence of the people in the community that they serve and one way of getting that across is also ensuring that our policemen are courteous. Ensuring that in their training exercise they behave in ethical ways, that is a big asset in itself. Sometimes an asset that is worth more than ATVs and vehicles. But I am sure, for that [to] happen, we need comfortable and pleasing circumstances in which they operate, their working conditions,” he said.
As a result, Ramjattan urged the residents to cooperate with the police and give their maximum support in the discharge of their duties.
“It is my expectation that the police in this division will enhance their engagement with the communities they serve because that is one way of sustaining very low crime rates…talking to, engaging your community and ensuring that they feel happy about that engagement. When the community and the police work together, we are assured of a greater, more improved safety and security,” he said.
Ramjattan highlighted that $1.8 billion of central government resources has been allocated for the refurbishment and construction of several police stations across the country so that citizens can received the type of service they deserve. Among the projects being implemented this year are the rehabilitation, construction or reconstruction of several police stations including the Brickdam police station, the Leonora police station, the Cove and John police station, Mahdia divisional headquarters, Mabaruma divisional headquarters, Fort Wellington Divisional headquarters and Anna Regina headquarters, to the sum of $260 million.
He added that the Citizens’ Security Strengthening Programme will see contributions of $80 million going towards the Mahdia and Wismar police stations, $59 million to the Parika police station, $77 million for the Baramita police station, $80.9 million for the Albion police station and $81.3 million to the Whim police station.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police Leslie James said that the commissioning of the station is a clear display that the force is serious about dealing with the issues of crime and protecting the citizens at large. He said that it will be made clear to the ranks stationed at the location that they must maintain the force’s motto.
“Its use is for you, the people. We will make it very clear to the ranks who will be stationed here that our motto must be maintained, that is ‘Service and Protection’,” he said.
A few years ago, James said, during his first stint as a Divisional Commander, he met and interacted with residents during a community outreach and listened to their concerns. “Cries for more assistance, cries for more responsiveness, cries for more policing and perhaps better policing,” he recalled, were the concerns raised.
He said on that occasion, he promised the residents to highlight the need for a police station in Parfaite Harmonie.
“…And today…it’s so coincidental that I am here back as Commissioner of Police to witness a spanking new station provided by the Government of Guyana. A station which is expected to serve you, the people of West Bank and generally, the people of West Bank and West Demerara,” James said.
A brand new ATV, a motorcycle, a 4X4 motor vehicle and four bicycles was also allocated to the police station.
The building was constructed in two phases.
Phase One of the project was allocated to Compustruct Engineering Inc for the sum of $12.3 million. During this phase, landfilling and the construction of the concrete perimeter fence and access bridge was done. The second phase for construction of the actual building was awarded to Ograsein and Sons General Contracting for the sum of $53 million.
