ACTING Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken and some members of his leadership team met recently with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana (AmCham Guyana) Rajendra Singh and Matthew Phang to build partnership and encourage Police/Private Sector collaboration, especially in the area of youth development.

Addressing the meeting, Hicken expressed optimism that the partnership was going aid the vision of GPF and create an atmosphere where other members, associations, and corporate units are going to come on board and get to understand both the vision and value of what the GPF is strategically trying to accomplish in the long term.

“In this phase of our lives, being mature already, it may be difficult to change the way we think but we are preparing the next generation that will grow up to understand that the Police are an integral and important part of the community,” Mr. Hicken asserted.

This partnership will help in the overall effort and commitment to mould and shape the future of our youths.
The Top Cop, a passionate advocate and champion of youth development, especially in vulnerable communities across Guyana, alluded to the plans and programmes that the Guyana Police Force has for youths – who are our future leaders.

Mr. Hicken also encouraged the two AmCham representatives to sell the vision of the Police Force, especially as it relates to community development and the creation of training and other opportunities for youths.
The Top Cop alluded to the fact that, within the last year and a half, approximately 375 youths were sent to prison in Guyana.

“So if every year we put 375 youths in the prisons, then who will lead in the future?” the Top Cop questioned.
He highlighted this to draw a nexus between what currently obtains and what the GPF was trying to achieve in terms of youth development and giving them a chance to have a better life and stay away from drugs and crime.

“This is not idle rhetoric and politics…this is caring for people genuinely out of concern for the stability of this country and understanding that we are on the cusp of real growth and major development. I say this passionately because I really believe we need to harness those vulnerable youths and school dropouts and channel them properly and this is exactly what we are doing as an organization,” Hicken stated.

Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ (ag) Calvin Brutus, also emphasised the importance of youth development and went on to provide the AmCham representatives with a ‘needs assessment list’ as well as an outline of the programmes that the Guyana Police Force intend to roll out as it relates to youth development, sports and youth empowerment.

Some of the focus areas that the Guyana Police Force would be targetting, in terms of youth development, are life skills, computer repairs, computer training, youth camps, a Cadet scheme, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) programme, and the resuscitation of Scout and Youth groups in every community.

According to Brutus, educational and capacity-building programmes will also be offered in a targetted way to vulnerable youths and young adults in a bid to mitigate crime and provide a better life for the next generation.
After Brutus’s presentation, AMCHAM members engaged in discussions with the Acting Commissioner and his team on the possible areas in which they can lend support and ways that both entities can engage in a partnership.

Also present at the meeting was Ms. Lashaun Williams, a representative of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary School who is keen to partner with the GPF in Training, specifically in the area of Home Economics and teaching vulnerable youths how to cook with the aim that they might be able to not just learn a life-skill but also earn an income.

Mr. Sheryar Hussain of the New York Police Department (NYPD) and a member of the Guyanese American Law Enforcement Association (GALEA), was also present at the meeting and has pledged assistance to the Force in the areas of Body Cameras and Traffic Wands. Before the meeting, he had presented 20 sports uniforms (cricket) to the Guyana Police Force.

Among those present at the meeting from the GPF was Deputy Commissioner of Operations (ag) Ravindradat Budhram, Head of the Community Relations Department, Cristal Robinson, Head of the Corporate Communications Department Mark Ramotar, and Head of the Strategic Planning Unit, Nicola Kendall.
Amcham Guyana is a voluntary, non-profit organisation committed to promoting and enhancing commercial relations between the United States and Guyana.