LAW enforcement administrations can further excel at protecting citizens, as the availability of high-speed Internet combined with the proliferation of CCTV cameras can assist tremendously in tackling crime, according to President of STARR Computer, Michael Mohan.
STARR Computer Inc. is one of many companies that participated at the “GT&T House of Blaze” Expo at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara.
The company showcased its ability to control smart home devices on your Samsung and Hyundai smartphones on the GTT high-speed platform. Other devices that were controlled were light bulbs, electrical devices in the homes and a drone.

“A technological long-term trade-off with significant success worldwide would be for government regulators to support a joint public-private effort during the next 24 months by waiving up to 44 per cent taxation (30 per cent duty + 14 per cent VAT) on CCTV importation to Guyana,” Mohan said.
He explained that this can be done, based on a condition of waiver on equipment, since citizens will be required to provide surveillance video contents of criminal activities in their community to law enforcement command centre to help solve crimes.

“With high-speed Blazing Internet now becoming available in Guyana, this platform will help to process contents seamlessly. And as law enforcement agents begin to work with this new video content source,” the tech expert explained, “it will become easier for them to develop their skill-set and advance their knowledge on the more advanced biometric software with artificial intelligence (AI) to deploy resource to targeted specific dangerous areas.
“This venture will not only create more employment, but will restore citizens and investors’ confidence in Guyana.”

Mohan underscored that statistics have shown that CCTV surveillance has become the top crime-fighting tool for law enforcement the world over. Some of the world’s largest cities such as Beijing, London, Chicago, Houston, and New York are five good examples of these findings.
He explained that the recent devastating prison fire should serve as a good learning experience for all, since it would have been critical for the prison system and law enforcement to have fire and water -resistant safes to protect digitised files and backups of inmates within their care.

“Important documents can be scanned and stored easily on external flash drives,” Mohan said, adding:
“Guards can be equipped with simple digital monitoring devices; intrusion alarm detection devices could be employed, and, of course, surveillance equipment would be a great asset at all prisons.”
He said with the introduction of high-speed Internet by GT&T, citizens can upload any CCTV footage to the Internet, which can be shared with law enforcement.
“Technology is changing the way we live, and it is important that we employ modern technologies in our daily lives to improve the security of our families and our neighbourhoods,” he said.

But to make this all possible, he said, it is important for law enforcement to work in harmony with citizens. Equally crucial also is for the government to listen and respond accordingly, to citizens’ call for incentives for them to invest in shared electronic surveillance.