THE Guyana Police Force, in this its anniversary month, has been reassured that the new Coalition Government will ensure that the law-enforcement body gets all the necessary resources it needs to execute its mandate and render a higher level of service to the public.

This reassurance was given by Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan on Friday, while handing over 11 vehicles to the Guyana Police Force.The vehicles were initially purchased for Community Policing Groups.

Minister Ramjattan stressed that he wished to see the vehicles being used to better patrol the various divisions, even as the organisation is expected to receive an additional set of vehicles, which are being prepared for handing over.
“We are working on a number of equipment, and luckily, I had the good fortune of meeting the Chinese Ambassador who said they are going to help fast-track a number of equipment. A list was given since February 2014, which they will like to see us peruse for our priority as a new Administration, and a number of new items which are going to take care of our list and hopefully we get it shortly, ”Minister Ramjattan said.
He added that other local bilateral connections have also seen the need to address the issue of additional radio sets and vests among other items for the Guyana Police Force. He stated that the list is a very long one, and that better training and supervision and all other aspects that will make the Force a better place were also mentioned.
Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud, who also commented prior to the handing over of the vehicles, stated that since the new administration has taken office, all discussions that he has had with senior Government officials suggest that there will be efforts to boost the capacity of the force.
He however made it clear that once the force’s capacity is boosted, then it is only natural that there will be a higher demand for improved and increased performance.
“We will have to deliver, meaning that we have to take the crime statistics down and we have to take control of crime; we have to take the road deaths down, we have to develop public trust and we have to engage our communities in a way that persons engage us, not with fear but [with] accommodation,” Commissioner Persaud stated.
Speaking directly to the handing over of the vehicles, Seelall said the delivery of the vans on many terms indicates that the promises of the vehicles which were thinking outside of the box, an initiative which proves the promises were not empty ones.

According to the commissioner, the vehicles were channel led to the police force after the minister was briefed on the resource needs of the organisation. He spoke of no police patrol vehicles in ‘D’ Division, while in ‘B’ Division there are presently two patrol vehicles for the entire region, as he stressed that the vehicles will go a long way in addressing those weaknesses.
With regard to the care and proper hand–over/ take-over systems with respect to the vehicles, Commissioner Persaud called on Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine to ensure that there is strict enforcement of a recently implemented vehicles-management system for the force to ensure compliance.
He said the system will see the vehicles lasting longer and will be better able to serve the communities and meet the mandates and to some extent the expectations of the members of the public.
By Leroy Smith