Georgetown: Government operationalized 104 mounted poles with four cameras each attached as the intelligence surveillance systems in the city were formally activated on Friday.
The system will now record activities that will be monitored through a command center in a new building in the compound of the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal East Coast Demerara.
Heads of the security forces were given access, during a tour of the intelligence surveillance cameras command center.
Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan expressed his excitement at the possibilities the new system and pilot project offers. “This is exactly what Guyana needs, and I want to thank the Minister of Telecommunications for making it happen early and of course the Chinese Government and its counterpart Huawei”, the Public Security Minister said.
He said that the pilot project which is launched in Georgetown first will ultimately be launched countrywide. “This is just going to be one of the best developments for our country in relation to matters of security and to see the capacities and capabilities being built in, to ensure that we can literally track vehicles, track suspects to the extent of knowing where they are, at what time they would have been there. This technology will enhance the capacities of the police to do their work,” Minister Ramjattan said.
He said a new building will be constructed to house the official command centers and with a combination of personnel and technology that will be launched eventually.
China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun, said the project is excellent for the progress of Guyana and the center is a reality because of Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister Cathy Hughes.
He said when he first arrived in Guyana in 2017 security was something that needed rapid development.
“Guyana has everything but we need security, so this is the reason I spent every effort, I talked with the Chief of Staff, the Commissioner of Police, Minister of Public Security, Minister of Telecommunication and I think that in the 21st century, we cannot only count on people, we have to count on technology and equipment. We have technology, now the majority of the people will be happy, but the criminals will not be, in the long run I do believe people will be happy because we are back on the right track,” the China’s envoy said.
He said that the intelligence security camera system and the command center were, together, a great step for the heads of security in the country.
Ambassador Jianchun said that the Chinese government will continue to be supportive in building a sustainable and cooperative security system in Guyana.
He said that the new security system will alleviate some of the fear people may have in society and the technology will only get better to ensure the success of the project.
Deputy General Manager of the NDMA operations and Project Manager for the Guyana National Broadband, Francis Simmons, in explaining the smart city project said it will enhance public security.
He explained that the Smart City solutions can sense, process and deliver informed decisions that will improve the environment for its inhabitants.
The solutions, he said, use the latest Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) using real-time situation reporting and analysis that combine cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Chairman of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Floyd Levi has proposed to the Public Security Minister to name the facility the National Emergency Response Center. Levi said that the cameras will eventually be placed at key border locations and live camera feeds will also be accessed.
Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, said that the surveillance system falls under the National Broadband project which cost some US$36M which was sourced through the Government of China and China EXIM Bank.
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