– Minister Rohee
PLACING public safety and security in the hands of young and old persons who have a vested interest in ensuring both is embraced fully is a politically correct move, as well as further formulating a modernisation process and plan for the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said so yesterday when addressing a gathering on the East Coast of Demerara.
The forum was a Ministry of Home Affairs and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) exit workshop for Loan Number 1752/DF-GY issued under the Citizen Security Programme (CSP).
Speaking at the Grand Coastal Inn Hotel, Plantation Le Ressouvenir, Minister Rohee said, in the context of the Community Action Component of the CSP, that the right action was taken as it involved and targeted the groups who are largely perceived to be part and parcel of the whole makeup which threatens the stability of safety and security in a country.
He added that, when one looks at the legal, law enforcement and criminal sides of public safety and security, it becomes and remains very important for the GPF to be equipped to deal with the challenges which come its way.
Rohee maintained that the GPF must be able to deal with challenges be they legally within law enforcement or even when it comes to confronting criminals, their enterprises and other operations.
He acknowledged there is often the case where one looks to the ministry, the police and, in some cases the cry that the community needs help from the politicians but the fact of the matter is that all the purposes being served needs to be integrated.
The Home Affairs Minister recalled that, after the country attained independence, there were many challenges on the security front which had to be confronted, especially in the aftermath of the fight for independence, all of which gave rise to a new way of thinking.
He said that, for Guyana, the flagship of the CSP is the community action component where the issue of sustainability and understanding the communities were focused on, especially in Regions 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) and 4 (Demerara/Mahaica).
By Leroy Smith