.jpg)
THE Guyana Police Force has been allocated in this year’s Budget a whopping $245M, meant to complement its resources with equipment, including a fleet of brand new vehicles, motor cycles, vessels, boats and outboard engines, while another $212M has been earmarked for the purchase of equipment, arms and ammunition. Included in the allocation for arms and ammunition is money to also purchase fingerprint, ballistic, handwriting, communication narcotics and anti-piracy equipment, among others.
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh presented the Budgetary Estimates for 2013 on Monday last, and announced that as it relates to Public Safety and Security, a record $17.5B will be distributed among the various agencies.
These include also the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Prison Services, among the various agencies under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Police Force has earmarked under its capital expenditure for this year, an allocation of $200M that will be used to complete, construct and rehabilitate a number of police stations and lockups across the country.
Among those identified for completion this year is the Police Station at Santa Cruz, the New Amsterdam Police Station as well as the Central Police Station.
Another lot included in the $200M will be used to rehabilitate lockups in ‘C’ Division, the Police Station at Bonasika and the female barracks and the living quarters at the New Amsterdam Police Station.
Under Citizen Security, the Home Affairs Ministry has been allocated in its budget some $645M, of which $563M is being provided under an agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Under this project, the ministry will be completing, for the Guyana Police Force, the state-of-the-art Forensic Laboratory.
Monies from under this programme will also be used to equip the Forensic Laboratory being constructed at Turkeyen, in the vicinity of the University of Guyana.
Ranks of the Guyana Police Force will receive almost $3B in wages and salaries this year, with its budget for training including scholarships, up almost 100 per cent to $56M.
The Guyana Defence Force’s allocations for this year have also been boosted with ranks budgeted for an increased wage bill over last year, crossing the $2B threshold.
The Defence Force will also this year be undertaking significant infrastructure upgrades, having been allocated $170M for the construction and rehabilitation of several of its buildings.
This will see the relocation of the GDF’s engineering battalion offices as well as the construction of a Cadet Officer’s dormitory and canteen at base Camp Stephenson.
Money has also been budgeted for a ‘hangar’ to be constructed at the Defence Headquarters, Camp Ayangana, in Georgetown, while the facilities at Linden will also be rehabilitated.
The Defence Force has been allocated also another $90M, which, according to the National Estimates, will be used to construct a floating base for the army and the development of a maritime information system, among other initiatives.
The GDF marine’s fleet has also been given a sizeable increase in its allocation over last year.
In 2012, the army was allocated just about $70M to be used for the purchase of vehicles boats and engines.
This year, that allocation has been increased to $153M and will be used to purchase at least one ambulance and a number of ‘metal shark boats,’ among others.
The GDF Flagship, Essequibo, will also benefit from more than $30M worth in rehabilitation works.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, in presenting the National Budget Monday, reminded of the fact that the government has embarked on a ‘comprehensive programme of reform to the security sector.’
He said that government views the process as a long term objective, and has designed a strategy, “which articulates a holistic approach to citizen security and safety, and public welfare.”
Dr Singh told the House that the strategy focuses on key areas dealing with developing and strengthening administrative competencies, improving professionalism, strengthening accountability and integrity, deepening inter-organisational linkages for greater cohesiveness and impact, expanding on safe neighbourhoods pilots, and establishing houses of justice to allow for greater people participation and involvement in public safety and security issues.
The finance minister, at the time, had said that this year, focus will be placed on enhancing physical infrastructure, and providing air, land and water transport and equipment for the sector to carry out its mandate effectively.
“With regard to the fight against drugs and piracy, the maritime sector will benefit from greater physical presence of maritime forces, with the operationalising of floating bases,” said the finance minister, who also reminded that, “in support of further advancing the capabilities of the safety and security personnel, ranks of the police, from the level of constable to assistant commissioner, will benefit from mandatory overseas training while fire service personnel will benefit from the new training school.”
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh presented the Budgetary Estimates for 2013 on Monday last, and announced that as it relates to Public Safety and Security, a record $17.5B will be distributed among the various agencies.
These include also the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Prison Services, among the various agencies under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Police Force has earmarked under its capital expenditure for this year, an allocation of $200M that will be used to complete, construct and rehabilitate a number of police stations and lockups across the country.
Among those identified for completion this year is the Police Station at Santa Cruz, the New Amsterdam Police Station as well as the Central Police Station.
Another lot included in the $200M will be used to rehabilitate lockups in ‘C’ Division, the Police Station at Bonasika and the female barracks and the living quarters at the New Amsterdam Police Station.
Under Citizen Security, the Home Affairs Ministry has been allocated in its budget some $645M, of which $563M is being provided under an agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Under this project, the ministry will be completing, for the Guyana Police Force, the state-of-the-art Forensic Laboratory.
Monies from under this programme will also be used to equip the Forensic Laboratory being constructed at Turkeyen, in the vicinity of the University of Guyana.
Ranks of the Guyana Police Force will receive almost $3B in wages and salaries this year, with its budget for training including scholarships, up almost 100 per cent to $56M.
The Guyana Defence Force’s allocations for this year have also been boosted with ranks budgeted for an increased wage bill over last year, crossing the $2B threshold.
The Defence Force will also this year be undertaking significant infrastructure upgrades, having been allocated $170M for the construction and rehabilitation of several of its buildings.
This will see the relocation of the GDF’s engineering battalion offices as well as the construction of a Cadet Officer’s dormitory and canteen at base Camp Stephenson.
Money has also been budgeted for a ‘hangar’ to be constructed at the Defence Headquarters, Camp Ayangana, in Georgetown, while the facilities at Linden will also be rehabilitated.
The Defence Force has been allocated also another $90M, which, according to the National Estimates, will be used to construct a floating base for the army and the development of a maritime information system, among other initiatives.
The GDF marine’s fleet has also been given a sizeable increase in its allocation over last year.
In 2012, the army was allocated just about $70M to be used for the purchase of vehicles boats and engines.
This year, that allocation has been increased to $153M and will be used to purchase at least one ambulance and a number of ‘metal shark boats,’ among others.
The GDF Flagship, Essequibo, will also benefit from more than $30M worth in rehabilitation works.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, in presenting the National Budget Monday, reminded of the fact that the government has embarked on a ‘comprehensive programme of reform to the security sector.’
He said that government views the process as a long term objective, and has designed a strategy, “which articulates a holistic approach to citizen security and safety, and public welfare.”
Dr Singh told the House that the strategy focuses on key areas dealing with developing and strengthening administrative competencies, improving professionalism, strengthening accountability and integrity, deepening inter-organisational linkages for greater cohesiveness and impact, expanding on safe neighbourhoods pilots, and establishing houses of justice to allow for greater people participation and involvement in public safety and security issues.
The finance minister, at the time, had said that this year, focus will be placed on enhancing physical infrastructure, and providing air, land and water transport and equipment for the sector to carry out its mandate effectively.
“With regard to the fight against drugs and piracy, the maritime sector will benefit from greater physical presence of maritime forces, with the operationalising of floating bases,” said the finance minister, who also reminded that, “in support of further advancing the capabilities of the safety and security personnel, ranks of the police, from the level of constable to assistant commissioner, will benefit from mandatory overseas training while fire service personnel will benefit from the new training school.”
