Police Youth Camp concludes in Berbice

Aug 20, 2008 News

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NUMBER SIXTY-THREE VILLAGE, CORENTYNE – An exhibition and cultural presentation on Friday last was the climax of the Guyana Police Force/Police Wives’ Association Youth Camp 2008.  This year the event was hosted in Division ‘B’ of the Guyana Police Force.
The 144 participants along with 44 adults were accommodated at the Tagore Secondary School at Number Sixty-three Village on the Corentyne. The Patron was Ms. Gail Stoll.
It began on Monday August 11th and throughout the week the boys and girls were engaged in several projects. Among activities was the daily time allotted for devotion and physical training. There were lectures on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, safety in the home, traffic, health issues, craft and games.
The children were drawn from different backgrounds and brought together as the police force attempted to make them understand that it matters not where they come from but what they make of opportunities presented to them.
Assistant Commissioner Paulette Morrison explained that there was minimal conflict and the children were at their best.
The ages ranged from four to 17. Of the 144 participants, 78 were girls. The breakdown was Police Head Quarters and ‘A’ Division – 60 children from Rosemary Lane formerly called ‘Tiger Bay’; Division ‘B’ (Berbice) – 13; Division ‘C’ (East Coast of Demerara) – 44; Division ‘G’ (Essequibo) – eight; Division ‘E’ and ‘F’ – one; Division ‘D’ – 18. Included in the 44 adult supervisors were five teachers drawn from the East Coast of Demerara.
The Best Male Camper was 16-year old Michael Sweeney; standing along side him as the Best Female was 14-year old Kamanda Graham of Rosemary Lane. They were each given $25,000 and a plaque.
Wesley Thomas, a 15-year old from the East Coast of Demerara, arrested the Most Cooperative Male title and Tamara Roberts got the female title. They each received $15,000 and a plaque.
The Patron, Gail Stoll said she was impressed by the conduct and general performance of the campers.
Chairperson of the Police Wives’ Association Tessa Greene called it a success, moreso since it is an annual item on the calendar.
She identified some ways of making the 2009 camp better, like implementing more educational programmes as well as those that focus on self-improvement, having more craft resource personnel, and placing more emphasis on skill-training.
On Friday the girls and boys put on display their handiwork which included tie-dye clothing, craft, linen and other bedroom ensemble, wooden stands, plaques, floral arrangements, stuffed toys, embroidery and other household accessories.
They later took the stage by storm in musical renditions, poetry and dance. Taking the cake was the tots, teens and the young at heart who strutted their stuff; models included Patron Gail Stoll, Chairperson of the Police Wives’ Association Tessa Greene, Assistant Commissioner Morrison, as well as Assistant Superintendents LaFleur and Garnett.
It was the Assistant Commissioner Conway who heads Division ‘B’ of the Guyana Police Force who stood in for Commissioner Henry Greene to deliver the closing words.
He spoke of the strategies in use by the police force and also the importance of community involvement. “The Commissioner of Police has embarked on a strategy to reduce crime and the fear of crime. Among the operational tactics are community policing, station management committees, neighbourhood policing, traffic and crime advisory committees and youth involvement which include the youth camps.”
He congratulated Assistant Commissioner Morrison for her ability to ensure smooth sailing. “She did it all and we in Division ‘B’ provided the venue and gave back up support.”
Commander Conway urged the participants to develop themselves academically and at the same time focus on achieving lifelong skills, some of which were taught at the camp.
He had been visiting the location almost each day to observe the happenings. “I saw in these children some promising senior police officers, as well as some Chanderpauls and Laras, some Ronaldos and some Bolts and Powells in the making.”
He is confident that by Camp 2009, participants would be drawn from as far as Lethem in the Rupununi and neighbouring Suriname and Brazil.
Later on Friday a towering bonfire lit the Number Sixty-three Village sky as the voices of the campers sounded in the night to bring the curtain down on Youth Camp 2008. They vacated the camp site on Saturday.
This is the eighth year since the police youth camp has been in existence. In 2007 the venue was the Kuru-Kuru Coop College on the Linden Highway.
Assistant Commissioner Morrison said that the annual event got its genesis after a series of activities over the years. The Guyana Police Force Rosemary Lane Outreach Programme began in February 1991 as part of the anti-crime campaign. This was aimed at extending the boundaries between members of the force and the community.
In August 2002, the Guyana Police Force in collaboration with the Police Wives’ Association hosted a one-week August vacation camp; the venue was the Police Sports Club. In 2003, another one-week camp was held at the same venue. In 2004, the activity was at Dora and the following year at Anna Catherina.
(Melissa Johnson)

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