HOME Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has said he is pleased with the level of security and the security posture around the city, especially along the main commercial area, Regent Street.

Rohee made the comments on Saturday after completing a six-hour walkabout along Regent Street, where he visited 99 percent of the stores. He was

accompanied during his visit by Commander of Police ‘A’ Division, Clifton Hicken, Hicken’s deputy, Dion Moore, Traffic Officer Ramesh Ashram, Officer in charge of the Impact operations, Wayne De Harte, No 1 Sub Division Officer Anthony Vanderhyden, and other inspectors and cadet officers.

“I am very satisfied with the visit; it was productive, and we have been able to meet with the public, shoppers, entrepreneurs and business people,” Rohee told the Guyana Chronicle.

The minister and the police commenced the walkabout from 10hrs sharp, and concluded the exercise just after 16 hours. Rohee said the ability of the police to interact with members of the public was very commendable, and that he was very heartened to be able to witness the level of positive interaction the police have with the public.

“It is (necessary) and important for the public to have a sense of safety and security,” he said; and the presence of the management of “A” Division” could only bolster that sense of security he opined.

What is important, the minister noted, was for the police to sustain the walkabout, as that exercise has the potential to earn the police even more points in the confidence the Force already enjoys with the members of the public, especially at this time of heightened commerce, and even into the new year, when the busy period and the high economic activities are likely to be completed.

The high point of the visit, the Home Affairs Minister noted, was that neither he nor the police hierarchy had received any report about anxiety, fear, security concerns and criminal activities at this time of the year. This, he said, speaks to the fact that persons are comfortable with the security arrangements employed by the police.

Rohee said his visit accompanied by the police was a win-win situation in which the police, Home Affairs Ministry and members of the public were able to achieve something. It becomes important for the minister to interact with the citizens, and for the citizens to interact with the police, where ideas and

concerns can be shared, he said.

And Commander Hicken reminded that ‘A’ Division is divided into five sections to deal effectively with the present security challenges during this period of heightened economic activity.

He said assistant superintendents, cadet officers and other senior ranks are monitoring the junior ranks who are in the fields; and that based on the feedback they have received from commuters, shoppers and other persons during the walkabout yesterday, the arrangements are indeed okay.

Hicken said that whatever they would have been told in regard to the posture of junior ranks in the field would be taken into consideration to build, develop, and improve the arrangements which were established.

Meanwhile, on the lighter side, persons were heard commenting favourably on the initiative of the security minister to walk the commercial area in an effort to get a first-hand perspective of what the situation on the ground was. Many persons even commented on how “good looking and young” the minister appeared, compared to how he appears on television.

Many persons, mostly women, were affable to the senior government official, and joked about various topical issues. One woman even commented to the minister: “Walk Rohee, walk; don’t bother with them. When you walk, the people will see you mean business and they will like you. This is what they want. They want to see you bring out the rest of ministers the next time.”

There was no hiccup during the walk, and all with whom the minister and the police interacted were very appreciative of the move, as they were able to see the minister, many of them for the first time.

(Leroy Smith)