The Home Affairs Ministry, the Guyana Police Force, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on Monday brought their seven-year Citizens’ Security Programme (CSP) to an end with the holding of an exit workshop at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, Guyana.
Present were officials from the IDB, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Acting Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud and other stakeholders.
The programme was launched some seven years ago with the aim of affording citizens the opportunity to have an input in the welfare and development of the Police Force while developing themselves and their communities. The programme employed a multi-dimensional approach aimed at preventing, reducing, and fighting crime. It targeted disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Regions Four and Six, catering for capacity-building of the Police Force and the Home Affairs Ministry and the Force’s modernisation.
Rohee, speaking at the event, noted that even though the programme has ended, it was not the final chapter of the book, since it was filled with successes.
Reducing crime
He related that the programme was one of the many plans which were launched to reform the security sector.
The objective of the programme was to enhance citizens’ security and co-existence by contributing to the reduction in levels of crime, violence, and insecurity.
Since its launch, a remarkable 308 instructors of the Guyana Police Force have been trained in crime investigation and detection, information management, recruitment training, case management, ethnic and human rights, and strengthening of internal and external accountability mechanisms, and a strategic plan has been developed.
Additionally, some 1,000 youths have been trained in personal development, youth violence prevention and youth life skills, while 1,000 adults benefitted from training programmes on intimate partner violence prevention, youth violence prevention, and child abuse prevention.
Several Crime Observatory systems have been developed and residents taught in various communities across the country; eight new crime strategies and an institutional modernisation plan have been implemented. One hundred percent of the GPF has been trained in crime prevention, human rights protection, conflict resolution, handling domestic violence and child abuse; 12 police stations rehabilitated, with that of six currently in progress; a police training facility built; eight violence reduction programmes implemented; 20 socio-cognitive skills programmes implemented; and 61 percent of citizens in Regions Five and Six trained in anger management.
Second phase
The Citizens’ Security Programme was supported by the IDB, which provided financial support to the tune of US$19.8 million, while counterpart funding of US$2.2 million was provided by the Government of Guyana.
Community Action Assistant Sydartha Anandjit noted that the project was sub-divided into three stages. Stage one saw the training of school dropouts between the ages of 14 and 25 to have them acquire a skill which can make them employable or possibly lead to youth entrepreneurship among themselves. The skills taught included masonry, carpentry, cosmetology, and catering.
Stage two saw community residents who wanted to become involved in the reformation process being given resources, training and guidance to upgrade several police stations and outposts around the country, to enable efficiency, with the third stage leading to the construction by the same citizens of a forensic lab at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown.
The lab is slated to be opened later this year after which a second phase of the programme is expected to be launched.
