WORK on the $65 million Providence Police Station, East Bank Demerara, is 80 per cent completed, with construction on course to finishing within the stipulated timeframe.

Following the complete demolition of the previous police station at Providence, construction on the new facility began on July 23, 2021. The new modern facility is expected to be completed in April 2022.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, some of the remaining works include painting, electrical, plumbing, and the installation of CCTV.

In its progress report, the ministry also stated that the Ruimveldt Police Station, another multimillion-dollar undertaking by the Guyana Police Force, is also nearing completion, with the facility being 60 per cent complete.
The previous Ruimveldt station was also torn down, and reconstruction started on July 23, 2021.

Works to the ceiling, tiling, plumbing, electrical, painting, external concreting, and the completion of the waiting area are still to be completed.
Both the Ruimveldt and Providence police stations, as it relates to design and layout, mirrors the Parfaite Harmonie Police Station which includes a domestic violence waiting area and interview room, a children-friendly area, and an ID parade room.

BUDGETARY ALLOCATION
A sum of $47.9 billion has been set aside in Budget 2022 to ensure the preservation of law and order at all levels of society. This sum will enable widespread connection of CCTV cameras and equipping of police ranks with satellite phones and body cameras.

Based on a breakdown of the crime and security budget, $4.9 billion has been allocated to strengthen the assets of the force and $2.5 billion has been allocated to expand the Safe City Programme beyond the boundaries of Georgetown.

The latter investment will see the entire country being connected to CCTV cameras monitored centrally as well as at Regional Command Centres to be established across the country.
Further, $99 million has been allocated to support the 175 targetted community policing groups across the country.

The government has allocated $120 million for the training of ranks in the areas of crime and traffic management, while additional ranks will be added to ensure greater coverage across communities.

Regarding new projects for 2022, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, had said $405 million is earmarked for the construction of the Brickdam Police Station, which was destroyed by fire last year. He said a design for a multi-storey building has been selected.

The minister also gave insight on several other projects that will commence this year to enhance the work of the Guyana Police Force.