Minister Rohee warns…
-as government moves to erect cameras around the City
HOME Affairs Minister, Mr Clement Rohee told a press conference Friday that the ministry’s goal is to install cameras around the city as a means of effectively dealing with crime in the capital. He warned those who have a leaning for the promiscuous to put themselves in order since ‘Big Brother’ will be watching.
The Minister noted that the cameras will be monitored around-the-clock.
He said that if a robber snatches a chain or cell-phone from an unsuspecting victim at the Stabroek Market Square, the police will be immediately notified to take swift action.
That is, a police patrol will be deployed to the scene with the description of the robber, and he will be apprehended in a jiffy, he said.
Rohee also talked about stray catchers, and said persons can apply through the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) for the job, which pays $5,000 per animal.
He explained that Cabinet has agreed to increase the fee paid to stray catchers, who previously received $1,000 per animal and added that at the places where the animals are kept, the police will be given a fee to buy feed or get someone to supply the animals with grass.
The Minister noted that stray catchers will be vetted before being employed, but urged persons to apply to the relevant authorities, in order to get stray animals off the roads.
Reviewing last year’s performance, Rohee noted that the police will focus more on intelligence gathering and said they performed well in 2009, despite challenges and some incidents which were overshadowed by their good works.
As for the prison reform, Rohee told reporters that strong cells will be constructed to accommodate dangerous criminals, such as escapees and other hardcore criminals.
He explained that persons of unsound mind will be separated from the general prison population. Rohee noted, too, that they are seeking to establish a canine section at the Lusignan, Mazaruni and New Amsterdam prisons, to hunt escapees.
Following the recent escape of a juvenile prisoner from the Turkeyen Police Station, Rohee said he will re-visit the location.
He told reporters that the Turkeyen and Grove/Diamond Police Stations were constructed from a Jamaica model, whereby the enquiries offices are at the back of the building.
Also at the press briefing held at the ministry’s boardroom, Rohee apprised the media of recent developments on crime and drugs.
He said during last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs continued to create the enabling platform for the agencies and departments under its purview to achieve their mandates, in accordance with the law.
Rohee said: “The year 2009 was very challenging, but the Ministry, as a whole, was able to promote a greater feeling of security among citizens.
Following are some of the highlights of the achievements of the Ministry and its Agencies and Departments during 2009.
Institutional Strengthening
The Ministry of Home Affairs made strides in its quest to strengthen its capacity to have oversight of the agencies under its purview.
One of the components of the Citizens Security Programme caters for the institutional strengthening/modernisation of the Ministry to enable it to be in a better position to achieve its mandate.
Much preparatory work was done in 2009 to ensure that we have the correct focus in this component of the project.
With this initial work, the prospects of the proper activation of this aspect of the project are very bright.
Development of the Crime Observatory
One of the strategies being used in modern day democracies to confront crime in a methodical and analytical manner is the establishment of Crime Observatories. This arrangement enables policy makers and Law Enforcement agencies to identify crime trends, examine their causes, and arrive at objective solutions to the problem.
A proper functioning Crime Observatory provides the critical analytical data which enables policy makers and Law Enforcement agencies to adopt the right methods of intervention, both from a Law Enforcement and social action perspective, to address the crime situation.
A Crime Observatory has been established at the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Citizen Security Programme. This Observatory has begun to provide data on crime and traffic in the country.
In January 2010, the first meeting of a High Level Policy Committee of the Crime Observatory was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs, to examine its operations. The work of the Crime Observatory for 2009 was reviewed and the Work Programme for 2010 was discussed.
The Crime Observatory will be officially launched on March 17, 2010.
