MINISTER of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee, who announced name changes for some institutions within his portfolio on Monday, declared that, never in the history of this country and the Security Sector, has such initiatives been undertaken.

Speaking at a press conference in the Police Officers’ Training College, Kingston, Georgetown, he noted that, a recent retreat with the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and his ministry, recommended that the former be rebranded the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service and the recommendation is currently before Cabinet for consideration.
Rohee said the proposed change reflects a long established function carried out by the Fire Service.
He said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be renamed Guyana Police Service and the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) Guyana Correctional Service.
The minister said that the construction and renovation of new blocks to house inmates, at all the prison locations, the rehabilitation of trade shops and the increasing emphasis on correctional and rehabilitation efforts were not overlooked during the first five years of his tenure.
He stated that the construction of six new fire stations at Linden, Bartica, Mahaica, Onverwagt, Rose Hall and Diamond, to serve communities which, hitherto, never had such facilities fully equipped with tenders and other necessary equipment, was a major undertaking by the ministry during the 2006 to 2012 period.
Rohee added that, for the first time, firefighting equipment operated by trained auxiliaries of the GFS have been installed at the interior locations of Mahdia and Lethem and will, later, be placed at Kwakwani, Mabaruma and Port Kaituma.

Strategic plan

The minister pointed out that the recent Ministry/GPS retreat also adopted a number of recommendations in pursuit of implementation of a strategic plan.
In the meantime, a number of measures consistent with it have already been implemented, including the establishment of a recruitment and training board; a sentence management board and an agricultural development board.
Rohee explained that those boards comprise mainly civilians who have expressed a willingness to serve and a team has been identified to review, formulate and produce the first ever printed edition of standing orders for the GPS.
He said consultations have begun on the implications of transitioning from the GPS to Guyana Correctional Service (GCS).