– entails crime prevention projects to promote social development
Government continues to make strategic interventions to eradicate the crime and violence in communities. In line with this objective , the Ministry of Home Affairs is re-launching the Community Action Component (CAC), which is an important aspect of the Citizen Security Programme (CSP). Coordinator of the CSP, Khemraj Rai, in an exclusive interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), said that the CAC, which was initially launched in 2007, was suspended for a year (2008-2009) to cater for a review of its structure. He explained that the revised programme will see the involvement of 10 communities, five of which are already identified by the Government. These communities include Rose Hall and Port Mourant in Region Six, and Buxton, Annandale and Sophia in Region Four. However, interventions are being made to include Lusignan and Agricola. If the selected communities are accommodative, persons from other communities can also be part of the programme.
Rai explained that during the course of the former CAC programme, much focus was placed on the uplift of adults and youths through workshops and seminars, to instill in them the moral responsibilities that will enable them to become responsible and productive citizens.
“It is an effort to deter youths from getting attracted to crime and criminal activities,” he said.
The restructured programme is designed to particularly target school dropouts between the ages of 14-25, through training that will be delivered in two components, skills training as well as building entrepreneurial/business capacities. Additionally, youths will be able to benefit from literacy and numeracy classes.
Rai said that they will work to assist the selected communities to form councils; this will be followed by the election of an executive body that will in turn nominate a Community Action Officer (CAO) who will be tasked with monitoring the activities of the councils. This person, he said, functions as the liaison between the community and the CSP.
The communities will be tasked with identifying the youths who will be involved in the programme as well as the needs assessment. The Home Affairs Ministry, on the other hand, will provide the guidance and resources.
Each community will be given a chance to identify three ‘quick wind’ projects and will be given US$5000 to expend on each project, which may include rehabilitation of recreational centers, and procurement of equipment and books.
The CSP was established to use a comprehensive structure of crime and violence prevention strategies to assist in decreasing the present crime rate in Guyana. The CSP will also facilitate smaller community action projects that are geared to promote community cohesion and intra-community camaraderie.
The goal of the CAC is to assist communities to become sustainable in their function as a neighborhood in which all persons are included in the creation of a safe environment, and young people are provided with opportunities that will prevent them from participating in criminal and violent activities. (GINA)