Govt to embark on “Smart City” Project – Police Commissioner

Georgetown: Government will be embarking on a “Smart City” Project with the aim of regulating crime and traffic activities in and around Georgetown.
According to the Police Commissioner, the proposal for this project was included in the Guyana Police Force’s Budget this year.
He explained that one component of the “Smart City” entails bringing all the emergency services including Police, ambulance and fire under one centralised location. Persaud said that these services will be operating in one room, using one emergency line.
The Top Cop added that the Street Camera Programme was also expanded and the footage will be fed to a centre
locating at the same facility. This project is being led by, and staffed with, civilians but monitored by senior operatives from the health sector, fire department and Police, the Commissioner said.
“(They) will take action on any emergency situation that will arise through calls, social media or something observed on the camera. So it’s headed by a civil coordinator and at his coordination meetings, the various agencies will report on what actions they take,” he noted.
According to the Police Commissioner, this project should be funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). He pointed out that this is a huge leap as it relates to dealing with the crime and traffic situations in the city.
Persaud went on to highlight that there are a few cameras around Georgetown that drivers have been protesting against, because of the number of charges made out against them for breaching several traffic laws that were picked up by equipment. “Once you breach, the camera picks it up and we use the footage to prosecute. So crime and traffic, evidence captured by the cameras will help us and those footage are live and we can prevent a whole lot of other crimes from happening,” he outlined.
However, the Commissioner stated that this project will not be operational until next year. He explained that there is a progress to go through when the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is engaged in a project. Persaud noted that the Bank will have to send consultants to look at the feasibility of the project, and if shown feasible, then it will advertise an international public tender. The winner of the tender process will then have to write an inception report on how they plan to go about implementing the project, he added.
According to the Commissioner, when that proposal is accepted, the process is moves on to a phased release of the funds. The Top Cop further explained that Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had approached the IDB for funding the “Smart City” project, which will be intertwined with existing initiatives under the IDB’s Citizens Security Programme.
He also mentioned that this new project is an additionally activity under the programme, which had commenced prior to the change of Administration.
Meanwhile, as it relates to the initial Second of the
Citizens Security Programme, the Police Commissioner stated that discussions are ongoing between the new Government and the IDB. Persaud detailed that some of main projects listed under the second phase of the programme that the Police will be benefiting from are Information Technology (IT) infrastructural works to enhance present capacity and training for members.
Other security agencies will also be benefiting from the programme, such as Guyana Prison Services and the Public Security Ministry.