ACKNOWLEDGING that crime is the most depressing problem facing Guyanese here today, Finance Minister Winston Jordan, in his maiden budget presentation yesterday, announced that the Government has allocated $21B for the security sector.The Finance Minister told the National Assembly during his speech, streamed via the internet and broadcast live, that the former Administration had failed to arrest banditry, piracy and criminal violence, among other crimes.
The allocations for the security sector were done under the subheading: “Reducing Crime, Rebuilding Public Trust, Reforming Public Security Systems”.
Of the $21B allocated to the sector, $11.9B will support operations of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Prison Service, Guyana Fire Service, and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) while $9.1B has been budgeted for the Guyana Defence Force.

There has also been an allocation of $9.7 million for the acquisition of specialised equipment for the production of machine readable passports.
Overall the allocations to the security sector are to cover expenses that include improved physical infrastructure, upgrading of the security fleet, acquisition of tools and equipment and upgrading the security features of the machine readable passports.
PASSPORT DECENTRALISATION
Within the funds allocated for the acquisition of new machine readable passports, the sum is also expected to finance the decentralisation of the application and issuance of passports, the Finance Minister noted.
And in the plan for the security sector also is the implementation of the recommendations of the Disciplined Forces Commission as well as seeking help from friendly nations and international crime fighting agencies.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM REFORM
The Finance Minister said that it remains the firm view of the Government that radical actions to reform the criminal justice system are needed. He pointed to the need for a Guyana Police Force that is more accountable to the public and better able to deal with crime and anti-social behaviours which are a curse to the good life.
In that light the Administration is now fine-tuning a comprehensive Public Security Plan in which emphasis is to be placed on combating crime, regaining the trust of the Guyana Police Force, improving police investigative capabilities and rebuilding an efficient and effective criminal intelligence system and Criminal Investigation Department.
The 2015 budget also seeks to strengthen the security sector by ensuring improvement on recruitment standards and training by revitalising the Cadetship Scheme, countering human, drugs and arms trafficking, all of which will be financed from the allocation of the $21B.
Focus is also being paid to acquiring vehicles and equipment for modern policing to fight banditry, piracy, terrorism and other violent crimes, Minister Jordan also noted in his presentation.
Under the Citizens Security Programme, the Government will commence the implementation of several activities to support the security sector and one key aspect of that programme involves evidence-based interventions associated with interpersonal violence.
The Administration will also implement another aspect of the Citizens Security Programme which speaks to the training of selected community members to support economic inclusion through vocational and remedial training, literacy programmes, job readiness, job seeking and job replacement actions.
Focus is also to be placed on the issues of entrepreneurship, mentoring, counseling and psychological skills training which will aid communities in identifying community problems and developing bottom-up solutions to crime and violence.
Budget 2015 in addressing the security issues also outlined the need for support in targeting and strengthening the Guyana Police Force crime prevention and investigative capabilities through application of information technology methodologies in crime detection and inter-agency co-ordination.
The Government is now looking to take its CCTV feeds beyond the city as part of the plans to enhance the crime response capabilities.
At the moment the Government is manning several CCTV feeds situated around the city but it is now looking to extend these all the way to Timehri, East Bank Demerara, as well as improve and fix the very contentious 911 emergency phone number countrywide.

By Leroy Smith