MAYOR and City Council (M&CC) Chief Constable Andrew Foo has announced that the US Embassy will facilitate training and other resources to the City Constabulary.He made the announcement following a recent meeting between contractors attached to the US Embassy and Mayor Hamilton Green. Mayor Green was accompanied at the meeting by Town Clerk Royston King.
The City Constabulary training complex on Water Street is currently being rehabilitated, and once completed, emphasis will be placed on recruitment and training.
“We intend to place a lot of emphasis on training because we are aware that training is the foundation of any institution and that fact that we have had a number of experienced personnel in various levels retiring, we need to train our news crop and do refreshing courses also,” Mr Foo told the Guyana Chronicle.
The Basic Recruitment Course for civilians will be four months while the refresher training will target serving members and will be done quarterly.
These persons, he said will undergo tests and elementary training, while supervisors will be given refresher courses every six months.
In terms of future training, he said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Guyana Defense Force (GDF) were contacted to assist in several areas.
“They would have given the commitment that in 2016 as courses are available they are going to request that we nominate someone to join.”
The Chief Constable also said plans are apace for training to be done through the Public Service Ministry and at the Critchlow Labour College.
TRAINING PROGRAMMES
The council usually sponsors personnel to attend various training programmes. In addition, a few ranks will be recommended for overseas training.
According to Mr Foo, the objective is to inculcate a greater degree of discipline in execution of the Constabulary’s mandate.
There will also be a recruitment drive to attract personnel, and Mr Foo said advertisement will be placed in the media.
“Our turn over in terms of staff is not very high at this point in time because the batches over the last two to three years has been predominantly females and even now we have some applicants in the file, and of 45, only 10 are males,” the Chief Constable said.
The Constabulary is structured similarly to other military agencies. The City is divided into several sectors which are monitored by Constabulary Supervisors.
A Traffic Management Unit was established last December and is headed by an inspector.

“This is in keeping with 28:01 under Sections 272 where council has a responsibly for roads regulation, traffic signs and signals and parking of vehicles. We also have the Traffic Management Unit who are going to be addressing various aspects of road regulations and parking,” he noted.

“This is separate from the police who have a clear mandate, we will however be looking at paid parking within the city, which will soon come on stream.”

The council has identified areas for free and paid parking. Three locations within the city would be designated as free parking zones for citizens – two areas in Bourda and one in Cummingsburg.

He said the Municipal and District Councils Act empowers the Georgetown Municipality to regulate and control the council’s roads.

“Throughout the years, people are accustomed to free parking but now there is a need for paid parking. An awareness and consultation campaign will be done beginning from next week,” he noted.
Persons can report violations on hotline 223-2219.

“Person observing various violations in the City can make a report and the Constabulary will take the report and a follow-up will be done,” he explained.

By Rabindra Rooplall