Georgetown: It has been approximately five months since Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee unveiled the new security reform plan targeting improved efficiency and professionalism at the ministry, and a number of agencies under its purview, inclusive of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS).
The various components of this Security Sector Strategic Plan 2013-2017 have been successfully progressing, Minister Rohee reported.
According to Minister Rohee, the strategy implementation plan for this agency is advanced. Already the strategic department whose task it is to implement the plan with the support from the Force has been established and 10 persons identified to guide this effort.
The British Consultancy Firm Capita Symonds which was appointed to undertake several projects as part of the GPF’s modernisation has also presented its report to the Home Affairs Ministry, which has been since been reviewed by the ministry.
Towards the implementation of the Force’s reform, the ministry also reviewed the recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry into the Linden incident; as it relates to the conduct and practices of the Force.
Part of the reform plan for this agency included the renaming of the GPF to the Guyana Police Service, and this aspect has been completed and the bill laid in this regard before the National Assembly. The bill awaits the second reading.
Meanwhile, 46 civilians were employed as data entry clerks, one each at police stations around the country to assist the force’s computerisation and approximately 30 ranks have been sent abroad between January and May for training in different areas.
The ministry has been advised by the contractor that the forensic laboratory will be completed by June 17, even as the equipment for the lab is already in country. Next week a panel will begin interviewing the 38 applicants who are vying for 21 positions to be filled at the lab, according to Minister Rohee.
Home Affairs Ministry; GPS and GFS
As it relates to the internal institutional and administrative changes for the Home Affairs Ministry, Cabinet has since given its authorisation for the ministry to create and fill five positions for a strategy unit to work within the ministry to implement this plan.
It has also consented, for the ministry to create a cyber security unit and to create and fill four positions for this unit, Minister Rohee said. These positions have been advertised, and a panel is soon to be created to interview those that would have applied for the positions.
Meanwhile, the renaming of the GPS to the Guyana Prison and Correctional Service and the GFS to the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service also received Cabinet’s consent and Bills in this regard have been laid in the National Assembly. Cabinet has authorised the creation and filling of four positions for a strategic unit, whose work will entail overlooking the reform plan at the prison.
Also part of the plan was the recruitment of 100 neighbourhood police ranks, 100 traffic wardens and the establishment of an aeronautical branch of the police force. Minister Rohee said that not made much progress has been made with regard to the neighbourhood police. He said there has been some slippage in processing the application and conducting the background checks for those who would have applied for the neighbourhood policing.
The wardens however, have been identified and are currently undergoing training at the Police Training school, and it is the hope that they will be on the street in a month’s time, Minister Rohee said.
For the Air-wing for the GPF, 14 ranks have been interviewed to be either engineers or pilots and phased training is to begin shortly.
Also on the agenda was the establishment of Houses of Justice in Regions Two and Three and safe neighbourhoods across the country. Consultations are underway with regards to the latter, and are expected to be completed in a few months. The exercise is aimed at determining where the safe neighbourhoods will be established, Minister Rohee said.
The ministry is also still consulting on the location of the Houses of Justice, as there have been adjustments made in the roll out of this programme due to issues pertaining to location, Minister Rohee said.
Meanwhile, the Task Force on fuel smuggling and contraband and the task force on narcotic and illegal weapons continue with their energetic work. The National Drug Strategic Master Plan preparation has gone a far way with consultation to begin soon.
Sixty-two law enforcement officers have undergone polygraph testing and the results are at present before the defence board for determination.
You must be logged in to post a comment.