– as more persons signal interest to be part of local groups

THE Ministry of Public Security will be resuscitating Community Policing Groups (CPGs) along the Essequibo Coast.

With only three functioning groups on the coast, the ministry will be looking to fully restore all CPGs, said National Administrator of CPGs, Dennis Pompey.
“Persons were not keen on the way things were going on the Essequibo Coast… Only today some members approached us to come in and reform some groups,” said Pompey in an invited comment during a ministerial outreach at Damon Square, Anna Regina on Wednesday.

He said there need to be twelve functioning groups along the Essequibo Coast.
Over the years there have been issues related to CPGs but, the administrator said they are trying to sort things out.

“Very shortly, we will start doing work to bring back these groups up and running,” said Pompey, adding that there is a lot of work to do.
According to the administrator, quite a number of persons signalled an interest to be part of CPGs.

Although most of the interest was from the older folks, Pompey said youths play an important role in making CPGs a possibility.

“We have to try to bring them in and get the older people to guide them,” said Pompey.
Through the groups, there will be various training programmes which will focus on anger management, conflict resolution and so forth.

Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan said the ministry is ready to equip CPGs with the necessary assets.

The minister said persons enquired about getting vehicles and other equipment to conduct the work of their various groups.

REFORMING CPGS
While the ministry is prepared to provide all the equipment necessary, Minister Ramjattan said CPGs need to be reformed.

He believes this is necessary because a number of persons in the groups were too politically inclined. Ramjattan said persons in the past focussed more on politics than fighting crime.

The minister’s intention is to have objective CPGs which can supplement the work of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

“I want to take the politics out the CPGs and ensure people do a better job in terms of security and patrol,” said Ramjattan.

Thirty-three-year-old Ryan Caesar, of Anna Regina, said he is prepared to join a CPG. Caesar said by joining one of the groups, he’ll be able to assist his community in fighting crime.

He also intends on utilising the lessons learnt during the training programmes which are offered through the groups.