Government is upgrading the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) high technology security camera system to support crime prevention efforts by the Joint Services with the addition of 17 camera locations, including in Stabroek Market area, at the Berbice River Bridge and at the Lusignan Prison on the lower East Coast.
The 17 new locations will bring the total number to 119 so far, the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) announced yesterday.
In a statement, Major (rtd) Floyd Levi, Head of the NDMA, was reported as saying that the programme is being expanded under the Safe City Solutions project being carried out in collaboration with the Chinese government.
Huawei Technologies, the statement said, is leading efforts with the NDMA to execute the US$37.6 million project that would add a crucial electronic surveillance component to help police fight crime. The NDMA falls under the Ministry of Public Telecommunications.
Levi further disclosed that new CCTV systems are being installed at the Berbice River Bridge in Region Five; the Palmyra Junction on the lower Corentyne; the Mahaicony Bridge; Skeldon Market, on the Upper Corentyne; Fort Wellington near the government complex housing the police station, the magistrate’s courts and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) office; Enmore-Haslington on the East Coast; Melanie Damishana’s main junction; the Parika area; Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast; Charity on the Pomeroon River; Soesdyke Junction; the entrance to North Ruimveldt and Aubrey Barker Road; and at the Stabroek Market area near Water Street.
“These camera systems are nothing new to Guyana. We have had them for more than 10 years or so,” Levi was quoted as saying, before noting that all 119 systems will all have omni- directional cameras, allowing monitors to pan a large area, manoeuvre the camera to obtain a better view and also to zoom in to get close ups of activities ongoing.
“So if the police detect something or want to look around, they have 360 degrees of visual freedom to check out on any given subject”, he said, according to the release.
The NDMA head noted that from all indications, the project will have no cost overruns and will come in under the original budget.
A noted downside, however, is the cost attached to the project to repair protective barriers around camera pylons as motorists have already crashed into a few, the statement said.
