Government had budgeted just about Gy$ 18 billion to improve the security and justice sector this year, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh announced in his budget presentation last week. Singh said the security of every resident is of paramount importance to government.
The expectation of every citizen to a safe community and a just and secure environment must be met. In this regard, the effective interconnectedness of our security and justice sectors is critical to the meeting of this expectation.
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh
During 2011, more thanGy $15.3 billion was expended on improving the operational capability of the security forces in the areas of legislation, infrastructure, equipment, and training with a continued focus on intelligence-based policing.
In addition to the substantial legislative agenda pursued in 2011, additional pieces of legislation, including the Anti-Gang Act and amendments to the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, are being drafted. Further, key interventions made in 2011 included the operationalisation of an Integrated Crime Information System, the remodelling of police stations to accommodate a computerised environment, the placement of closed circuit monitoring devices in crime hot spots around the city, progress on the construction of a modern forensic laboratory, and the construction of a new training facility and a new fire station at Mahaica.
Also Gy$ 769 million was spent on the acquisition of equipment to improve the operational capacity of the Joint Services. Further, more than 300 security officers benefited from training in modern policing techniques, human rights and ethics consideration, and intelligence gathering. In addition, emphasis has been placed on the promotion of social cohesion in communities.
Through this initiative, more than 6000 persons benefited from anger management training, while in excess of 1000 youths were trained in various vocational skills. He said to consolidate the gains of previous years’ investment as well as to ensure the continued improvement of the sector; a 2012-2016 strategic plan is being drafted for future implementation.
This year, Gy$ 16.2 billion has been allocated for the continued modernisation of the security sector and in the area of infrastructure, key investments will result in substantially modernised facilities.
The completion of the construction of the forensic laboratory will result in improved investigative capability supported by analyses in the areas of toxicology, histology, chemistry, biology and DNA, several of which have never before been available in Guyana. This will allow for greater timeliness and effectiveness in investigations of criminal activities.
Further, the construction of the fire service training school at Leonora with live-in accommodation for 55 persons, along with two lecture halls and training tarmac, will continue, while the new fire station at Diamond will be operationalised this year.
The Joint Services will also benefit from Gy$ 949 million to purchase and maintain equipment for the security sector to ensure its continued modernisation. At the end of the year, a total of 18 remodelled police stations in Regions Four and Six would be equipped with computers. This will support the operationalisation of the Integrated Crime Information System aimed at monitoring trends in crime and violence through a network which links the Home Affairs Ministry to the Georgetown Public Hospital, all prisons and IT equipped police stations.
This will allow the Joint Services to plan more strategically, based on statistical analysis, and undertake evidence-based interventions in fulfilling their mandate to ensure safety for all.
Justice sector
In the justice sector, the finance minister announced that the modernisation of laws, systems, and facilities that support the effective functioning of the judiciary continue to take precedence in the government’s development agenda.
“As acknowledged before, the effectiveness of the justice administration system is inextricably interlinked with the performance of the security sector and efforts to modernise both sectors will continue over the near term. Over Gy$ 1.7 billion was spent in 2011 in the justice sector,” Dr Singh noted.
“Key achievements in 2011 include the progress made towards completing the revision of the laws of Guyana, and the compilation of the law reports covering the period up to 2007. These – along with several pieces of legislation previously enacted, such as the Time Limit for Judicial Decisions Act which imposes a time limit on judges for writing up their decisions; the Evidence Act, which allows for the admissibility of audio visual testimony; and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act, which provides for the settlement of disputes out of courts – have the potential to enable a more efficient and effective judicial process.”
This year, Dr Singh said amounts totalling Gy$ 2.1 billion are budgeted for the sector. Continued modernisation of facilities will ensure greater geographical access by making court buildings more available and user friendly. Over Gy$ 300 million will be spent on the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of court facilities, including the rehabilitation of Georgetown Magistrates Court, completion of Magistrates Courts in Wales, Mibicuri, Lethem, and Linden.
