–with business community increasingly coming on board

THE GUYANA Police Force (GPF) has been encouraged by developments that have taken place and support received since the launching of the Impact Albouystown Project on April 11, 2014.

That project seeks, through law enforcement services and social intervention activities, to develop the community into what has been termed a “safe neighbourhood”. Accordingly, the GPF has partnered with a number of stakeholders, including religious and community leaders of Albouystown, to achieve this objective.

In a statement issued on Friday, the GPF said part of the focus of this project is in keeping with law enforcement objectives, and this was explained by Acting Police Commissioner Mr. Seelall Persaud at the project’s official launch. Therefore, for the police to effectively confront instances of crime and disorder which have heavy emphasis on gun crimes, the Force would necessarily have to deploy foot patrols and engage in stop-and-search operations, among other activities.

Patrols in the Albouystown community started on April 12, 2014. Seven men have since been arrested and charged for narcotics-related offences involving a total of 188 grammes of marijuana; an unlicensed .45 pistol was recovered during an attempted robbery on a business place at Albouys Street, Albouystown, which was thwarted by the quick response of the police. The perpetrator, who fired on the responding police ranks, has been arrested and will shortly be placed before the court.

No serious crimes have occurred in the Albouystown community since the launching of the project, police reported.

It was noted in one of the daily newspapers that persons complained that the police were searching the bags of children going to school.

However, the GPF wishes to advise that when the Impact Albouystown Project was launched, schools were closed and no such searches took place.

Police added that, in keeping with the thrust to assist youths in the Albouystown community with vocational skills training, some 60 children between the ages of seven and 16 years will commence a Foundation Course in Information Technology, on April 19, 2014 at the Guyana Police Force Zara Computer Centre at Eve Leary. They will be transported to and from classes with the assistance of the GPF.

Also, on April 22, 2014, a Cosmetology training programme for a number of females will commence at the Heavenly Light World Outreach Fellowship.

The police have been very appreciative of the significant early support from the business community towards implementation of the Impact Albouystown Project. Those persons and organisations have donated cash, computers, foodstuff, cosmetics and garbage bins, and other persons from the business community have pledged their support to the project.

A monthly donation of 10,000 pounds of rice is being made by a rice miller, and this would greatly assist the feeding programme presently being conducted by the religious community in Albouystown.

Moreover, the monthly donation of two hundred thousand dollars’ worth of cosmetics by another businessman will serve to support the cosmetology training programme and other activities, the police have noted.

A Steering Committee, which includes senior police officers and leaders in the Albouystown community, has been established and will be meeting on a monthly basis.

A significant part of the Police Force’s efforts in this initiative is aimed at empowering youths of the Albouystown community to develop skills in order to be productive and make proper decisions.

“We do expect some resistance from persons who are benefiting from criminology in the community,” the GPF has said.