…Min. Ramjattan urges cops to respect human rights of citizens

POLICEMEN must ensure the human rights of every citizen, including suspects, are upheld and this should be a policy of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) while all police stations should enhance their community development practices.
This is according to Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, during remarks on Friday at the re-commissioning of the Number 10 Police Outpost, Mahaica East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Minister Ramjattan said that the police outpost was refurbished at a cost of $2.5M and the monies were provided under the funding of the Citizens Strengthening Security Programme (CSSP). Ten police stations have been completed under the programme along with counterpart funding. “I want people within the area to also ensure that their sons and daughters join the police force…I have been pleading with many people to join,” Minister Ramjattan said.

He said when crimes are committed, society depends on the police and as such, members of their respective communities should support the operations of the GPF by joining and contributing to the development of a better society. The minister said that policemen salaries have been increased along with the assets they use to execute their functions.
“Don’t feel anyway negative about the police force, you can join and help provide the services that you on occasions want to be provided with…policemen should come from your community,” Ramjattan told the gathering at the recommissioning ceremony.
He said that the commissioning is part of a number of infrastructure projects done to enhance the wellbeing of police ranks countrywide. Adding that it was only on Thursday that a new Police Station was commissioned at Aurora, Essequibo Coast, Minister Ramjattan said at the very beginning of the administration, the need to ensure comfortable circumstances for police ranks countrywide was noted.

“Decrepit buildings and surroundings created an environment in which you are not going to get the quality of services from the policemen, and it was important then that we started the allocations of monies for these projects, outposts and major police stations like in Linden and Aurora, and depending on the circumstances, we had to ensure that we rebuild brand new stations,” Ramjattan said.

In addition to circumstances of infrastructure, Minister Ramjattan said in far-flung rural areas, additional assets must be provided such as furniture, ATV’s, bicycles, speed boats and other modes of transportation suitable for the terrain.

“I want to urge the users of this building to ensure that they maintain it properly and I want also that they build extremely cordial relationships with the community. We do not want to see policemen as bullies in the community, we do not want rogue elements as policemen, we want you to be respected by the community because of your big brother attitude since you have tremendous powers under the Police Act, and this must be utilised towards the service of the community,” Ramjattan noted.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, said currently the GPF is implementing five pillars of its strategic plan. “Parts of those pillars speak to partnership, it speaks to building capacity and today is another illustration of capacity building of infrastructure,” the Top Cop said. Underscoring the realignment of police divisions, James said the recommissioned building will serve the ranks, who in turn will serve the community professionally. Also in attendance were senior officers and police ranks of the GPF along with villagers and members of the community policing group.