FOR the third straight year, police will saturate Alexander Village next Wednesday to prevent gangs from launching fire-crackers and behaving disorderly during the community’s observance of Diwali. Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee and Assistant Commissioner of Police, George Vyphuis yesterday morning gave this assurance to residents at a community meeting.
Rohee told the meeting that 94 police officers would be deployed to patrol Alexander Village.
He noted that the Guyana Police Force is ardently working towards the year when Diwali would be celebrated without any hassle and where patrolling by police ranks would not be necessary.
Rohee further stated: “Diwali Celebration shouldn’t be taken advantage [of] by anyone”.
The villagers thanked the minister for his co-operation in the rapid improvement of citizens’ security during Diwali celebrations.
Rohee urged residents to continue to cooperate with the police in ensuring that restrictions are imposed on firecrackers  coming into the village on Diwali night.
He assured  residents that the government is committed to ensuring the safety of citizens and that “every resident of this village has the right to enjoy Diwali in a tranquil environment”.

After years of bombardment by fire-crackers, some of which have injured people and damaged their houses, police were last year deployed to all streets leading to the Georgetown suburb. People were allowed to enter the village only at specified check-points where they were searched for any explosives.
Residents of the village have for years been terrorized on Diwali night by persons lighting and throwing squibs. But Rohee said the police will continue to work year after year to ensure that the peaceful atmosphere of the village is restored to its fullest.
In 2008, residents had reported that thousands of revelers had gathered in the village on Diwali night with vendors selling alcoholic beverages and barbequed chicken and firecrackers were thrown on persons causing them bodily harm.

Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of residents, Narita Singh of the Alexander Village Hindu Mandir, told the Guyana Chronicle that they are again satisfied with the security arrangements for this year’s Diwali celebrations in the village as they had for the past two years.
She added that the minister and the police have assured them that the village will be secured and they would be able to religiously observe the holiday the way they should in quiet and in peace, minus firecrackers and disturbance.
Singh stated that they were thankful for the beefing up of security and at the meeting with Rohee yesterday morning, there were about 30 members of the Mandir, who represented the residents.
She noted that the minister said that about 94 ranks will be strategically placed in and around the village which will serve as checkpoints and vehicles belonging to non-residents of the village will not be allowed to go into the village from 14:00 hrs on Diwali day.