Albuoystown/Tiger Bay youths commence police highway camp

POLICE in ‘A’ Division on Tuesday commenced a five-day camp for children of Rosemary Lane (Tiger Bay) and Albouystown as part of the Impact Project. This camp is not the regular annual police camp which caters for children from all across the country.

While the Impact project was not fully implemented in the Tiger Bay area, this camp does have a large representation from that community, since the police increased its relationship with that community over the past

three months.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on the camp site on Tuesday, the young people from both of the selected communities expressed their appreciation to the Force for involving them in such a way, and moreso for keeping a special camp to cater for them outside of the normal police camp.

Among the expectations of the young minds, which range from ages 12 to 17, are knowledge in the areas of Home Economics, art and craft, carpentry and mason.

The camp has 23 females and 34 males, with several supervisors, inclusive of police, parents, and members of the two communities.

The security arrangement at the camp site is also very good, and according to camp mother, Deputy Superintendent Denise Fowler, the rules of the camp will at all times be strictly enforced.

The camp will run for five days.

Also giving their support to the camp is a trained consultant who has been working with young people for a number of years, and former Director of Prisons, Mr Dale Erskine. Erskine’s role at the camp will be offering guidance to the young people on the importance of developing skills to secure employment, and how to dwell in today’s environment.

Today the children are expected to be exposed to art and craft training conducted by a patron of the camp.

Following conclusion of the ‘A’ Division Camp, the police annual camp will commence. That, too, will be held along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway; and for security reasons, the police have not yet decided to release information on the exact location of that camp.

On Tuesday, ‘A’ Division Commander Clifton Hicken and supporters of the camp visited the camping site, toured the facility, and interacted with the young people for close to two hours before heading back to the city.

On the last day of the camp, the children will have an opportunity to put on display their art and craft products which they were able to create during their learning sessions.

The camp will also feature games and career talks focusing on issues which affect present day society, namely domestic violence and youth gangs, among others.

(By Leroy Smith)