Rohee, Forbes call for greater security sector collaboration
MINISTER of Home Affairs Mr. Clement Rohee said, yesterday, he is convinced that, in the run-up to general elections on November 28, the security environment is in safe hands.
But he pointed to the need for greater collaboration between the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and private security organisations, when delivering the feature address at a one-day seminar at the Pegasus Hotel.
Held under the theme ‘Awareness and Relevance of Security in Today’s Environment’, the programme was organised by the Guyana Association of Private Security Organisations (GAPSO).
“We have moved a kilometre away from those antecedents,” he said, referring to violence during elections prior to 2006.

“Based on my consultations with the security sector, all that is required to be in place is in place [for elections],” Rohee told the participants.
Emphasising the importance of security, the minister said if its provision is inadequate, that can have a negative impact on society.
He admitted that the challenges to the security sector have become more acute over the years because of the changing nature of crime.
“This initiative, in my opinion, is long overdue and is being organised at a time when the demand by our citizens for more security has been increasing concomitantly, with the continuing upsurge in economic activities in our country,” Rohee observed.
He continued: “Some of the types of crimes that societies have to confront today include terrorism, cyber crimes, drug trafficking, gang and youth violence and firearms trafficking.”
NEW CHALLENGES 
Referring to the upsurge in gun crimes and narcotics, the minister said those new challenges require the collaboration of all citizens if they are to be successfully confronted. The crime fight requires a multi-faceted approach.
Rohee said, in that light, the demand for private security has been increasing and the extant circumstances require a holistic approach.
He said the collaboration between the public and private security apparatus has been increasing but he stressed the need for adequate self-regulation in the private security sector.
Rohee acknowledged that the private security organisations could provide assistance to the GPF, since, many times, its members are the first on the scene of a crime.
The minister said: “Guyana has, long ago, recognised the need for this level of cooperation between the two sectors, thus the Guyana Government is supportive of this collaborative arrangement between the Guyana Police Force and GAPSO.” 
He emphasised, too, that security companies must address issues of human rights within their organisations.
“I, therefore, call on both the Guyana Police Force and GAPSO to work closely together, so that both entities could learn from each other’s experiences. This would result in a more coordinated approach to our overall goal of enhancing the security of our citizens,” Rohee said.
Also speaking at the forum, Interim Executive Director of the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) within CARICOM, Mr. Francis Forbes said that the region is witnessing a paradigm shift in the provision of security.
He said the number of private security personnel is growing in comparison to their counterparts in the security forces but IMPACS will continue to provide vital consideration to the question of private security.
The former Jamaican Police Commissioner said there is reason to suspect that the numbers of private security personnel are higher than believed.
“The increase in private security is a direct result of several of factors- growth in businesses, increased demand for security, fear of criminality, the need to protect critical infrastructure and accessibility and affordability of security and increased international standards at ports of entry,” said Forbes.
He said this growth is unlikely to slow in the coming years and noted that private security is critical to achieving a safe environment in the CARICOM region.
“We all are indebted to the services provided by private security but they lack comprehensive industry standards and this poses risks,” Forbes said, adding that an unregulated private security sector leads to labour and safety issues.
“There still exists gaps in the framework,” he remarked, pointing out that persons who are either untrained or unscrupulous can be hired into the private security sector, resulting in a non-secure situation.
Forbes said, if not properly managed, private security could lead to the increase of guns in the region, “contributing to violence at all levels.” As such, security companies must pay greater attention to screening their employees.
He said also that employers and employees must be accountable for their actions through regulations as differing national regulations may be an obstacle to the process of integration of countries security-wise, as envisaged by the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).