– emergency measures in place

GOVERNMENT agencies are pooling resources to ensure there are no security glitches during Guyana’s 50th Independence celebrations slated for May 19 – 22 at the National Stadium and Colgrain House, Camp Street, Georgetown. The Guyana Power & Light Inc., Guyana Water Inc., the Ministry of Public Health and the Mayor and City Council have established a plan to deal with potential emergencies that may occur during the time.
According to a release from the Ministry of Public Telecommunications/Tourism, Security Specialist and Head of the Guyana Jubilee Festival (GJF), Johnny Mortley, said various layers of protection and emergency measures including First Aid facilities and ambulances will be utilised.
The release noted that uniformed and plainclothes security personnel from private agencies and the Joint Services will be supported by CCTV cameras.
In this regard, representatives of all four entities recently met with the GJF sub-committee and laid out the procedures each entity would employ.

GPL & GWI
Engineer attached to GPL, Curtis Daniels, said that the company’s transmission and distribution crews are already servicing the entire power distribution network for miles around the stadium to ensure that all feeds to the tarmac are sound.
The company will add a fourth emergency feed in the event of power interruption to the East Bank circuit. Meanwhile, it was noted that GWI is engaged in similar activities, ensuring the integrity of all three water sub-stations at Eccles, Peter’s Hall and Providence.
These stations will be in operation for 24 hours each day of the Festival. In addition, GWI will set up a large water-storage facility at the venue in the unlikely event of a water shortage for sanitation and food-handling purposes.

M&CC
Additionally, the M&CC has stepped in to provide guidance to every food handler who will be exhibiting and selling food items at the Festival. The release noted that the council’s Public Health Department officials will meet shortly with all booth holders in the Food Court, the mobile units and large tents to give the necessary guidance and to ensure that each exhibitor is equipped with Food Handlers Certificates.
The Security Specialist stated, “The last thing we want is for the Festival to be tarnished by people falling ill from tainted food.”
The Council’s Solid Waste Management teams will be in operation each day and night throughout the event to clean and prepare the venue for the following day’s activities.
It was noted that the Public Health Ministry will join other health agencies to provide emergency services in a designated section of the stadium tarmac ,which will be supported by at least two ambulances.

Leave weapons at home
The committee has made it clear that strict measures will be implemented to ensure that no visitor enters the venue armed with weapons of any kind, including guns, knives and ice picks.
It was noted that an Advisory will be issued about the procedures visitors may follow if they wish to lodge their weapons at the nearby Providence Police Station, the Agricola Outpost or the Ruimveldt Police Station.
Meanwhile, the planning committee expects to host thousands of local and foreign visitors, including children, to the day-time exhibitions of Guyanese products, as well as the evening concerts.
“It is not too much to expect that the four-day festival will end without bloody altercations or armed robberies. We will be prepared,” Mortley said.
On April 30, the Security and Emergency committee will conduct an awareness and sensitisation programme for police ranks, private security firms, security consultants and other operatives in the sector, who will make up the many layers of health, emergency and security in and around Guyana’s Golden Jubilee Festival.