By Svetlana Marshall
THE City Constabulary will be beefing up security in Georgetown in light of the impending Christmas Season, and this is despite being grossly understaffed.

Approximately 189 constables are on staff, but only 90 will be deployed in the main shopping areas of the city in pursuit of persons who are bent on breaking the law. The other ranks will be manning the minibus parks, guarding city buildings, and conducting escort.
In addition to being fully uniformed, Foo said, the Constabulary has successfully acquired communicative devices that would allow ranks to call for assistance if needed.

An additional 127 ranks are needed to effectively execute the mandate of the Constabulary, but despite its shortcomings, Chief Constable Andrew Foo told the press on Tuesday that the City Constabulary will be heightening security in the City, primarily in the market places and along the main commercial streets of Georgetown, in keeping with its mandate.

He said there will be additional foot, bicycle and vehicular patrols in the city.

According to Foo, the constables will be on the lookout for repeat offenders. “We are not going to wait for something to happen, we will be proactive in the execution of our duty…and so we are going to have persons looking out for those we consider to be known characters,” the Chief Constable said while addressing reporters at City Hall.

LITTERBUGS
Ranks will also be on the lookout for litterbugs, Foo added, noting that the Council’s anti-litter team is still in full operation. He said that, on average, 10 persons are apprehended daily for littering; and in keeping with the Municipal and District Councils Act, offenders, once caught, will be placed before the courts. He explained that if litterbugs fail to heed the warnings issued, they would face prosecution.

In addition to Foo, the Public Relations Officer (ag) and the Director of Solid Waste Disposal, Walter Narine, were present at the press conference.
Besides boosting security in the City, the M&CC has established a schedule for collection of bulk waste. From today to Wednesday, December 23, the Mayor and City Council, with support from private contractors Cevons and Purans, would be uplifting bulk waste from East Coast/East Bank Demerara areas stretching from Cummings Lodge to Agricola.
Narine explained that large garbage receptacles will be placed in key locations across the town to allow for easy collection.

“To complement the efforts, too, I will have two garbage trucks and one trailer in each of the communities to collect the refuse,” he added.

Narine said the Mayor and City Council will be setting up a holding area for the disposal of garbage next year. A plot of land along Woolford Avenue in the vicinity of ACDA has already been identified, he noted. It was explained that due to the opening hours of the Haags Bosch Landfill facility, which is between 07:00h and 17:00h, the council is often unable to effectively collect and dispose garbage.

As such the holding area would allow for night collection to commence next year. The collected garbage which will be stored at the Woolford Avenue location will be transported to the Haags Bosch Landfill facility in the mornings, Narine explained.