…Gala dinner and dance highlight activities

By Frederick Halley
THE Guyana Ex-police Association of Canada (GEPAC) marked its 26th anniversary with a gala dinner and dance last Saturday at the Peter and Paul Banquet Hall, Scarborough, the first since 2019, following the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blessed by the presence of Chief Justice of Ontario, Jamaican-born Michael Tulloch, Guyana’s Consul General (ag) to Toronto, Grace Joseph, Toronto Mayoral hopeful Mitzie Hunter and a contingent of over 40 from the Guyana Ex-Police Association of America, among others, the night turned out to be a grand occasion.

Boasting on the success of the association, an ebullient GEPAC President, Floyd Blyden, disclosed that, “over the years, our involvement in the community saw us promote job fairs in the east and west end of Toronto, encouraging young people to pursue careers in law enforcement. This is done in partnership with police services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Toronto Fire Services, Ontario Ministry of Community Safety, Canadian Defence Force, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, among others.

Explaining that the bursary, which was stopped but will be resuscitated, Blyden said that the association offers five annual bursaries which are opened to students who are children of active police officers in the Guyana Police Force. “To be eligible, a student must obtain 80 per cent or more marks at the National Grade Six Secondary School Assessment Examination. These bursaries go towards the cost of textbooks,” he said.

GEPAC also supports other Guyanese organisations in Canada and internationally in their fund-raising efforts, and according to Blyden, “We donate to Beyond 3:30, a programme that helps students with eating healthy, homework support and sports, also Camp Jumoke, a Canadian-based organisation that ensures children living with sickle cell disease enjoy life as any other child. I am proud to wholeheartedly salute the founding and current members for their dedication to this organisation.”

Blyden, who is serving as the 17th president of GEPAC, thanked his predecessors “who laid the foundation and were committed to working tirelessly to build this organisation to its present stage.”

According to Blyden, “Our effort goes towards those who require education and medical assistance. We also encourage young people in the ethnic community to pursue a career in law enforcement and other public service organisations.”
Consul General (ag) Joseph reiterated that the Consulate is always pleased to support all diaspora groups. She congratulated and commended the incredible work of the esteemed diaspora organisation over the last 26 years. “It is indeed incredible to see and hear about the work of this group both here and back at home in our pristine paradise we call Guyana.”

Joseph reminded the audience that Guyana’s Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn visited Toronto in March. In addition to the conference he came for, at the Consulate meet and greet, he had a very fruitful discussion with Toronto’s Chief of Police regarding capacity building between the Toronto Police Service and the Guyana Police Force.

“This meeting fostered discussions surrounding the exploration of potential opportunities for collaboration with the Toronto Police Service, inclusive of cooperation to enhance Guyana’s Police Academy. During the meeting with Police Chief Myron Demkiw, the importance of diversity, professionalism, and exchange visits were also discussed.

“I know the members of the esteemed diaspora group will be thrilled with the progress of Guyana’s Police Force’s level of service. Notably, recently, there has been a push for officers to get further academic qualifications which will in turn enhance their ability to be impeccable and outstanding Police Officers.

Joseph urged the organisation to keep up the good work, “as it aids in enabling current police officers in being able to improve the quality of service and enhances the lives of former officers and their families.

“The Mission of the Guyana Police Force and its Auxiliaries is to serve all citizens and communities of Guyana in a professional, proactive and accountable manner, so thank you for your contributions to making the Guyana Police Force fulfil its mandate.”

Jamaican-born Hunter, who is currently a Member of the Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Scarborough-Guildwood, used the occasion to canvass for the upcoming Toronto Mayor elections, set for June 26, while thanking the Guyanese community for their continual contributions in Ontario and Canada.

Congratulatory messages were received from, among others, Ontario Premier Doug Ford who said in part that “the work you do for your communities, both in Canada and Guyana, embodies the spirit of service, cooperation and civic duty that is at the heart of law enforcement professionals’ work.”

Other congratulatory messages in the 26-page brochure were received from Hunter, the Consulate General of Guyana, President of the Guyana Ex-Police Association of America, Irwin Daniels, Alliance of Guyanese Canadian Organizations and the Guyana Ex-Soldiers Association of Canada.

GEPAC was founded in 1997 by a group of 16 former members from the Guyana Police Force, domiciled in Canada.