Adventure Training College set for re-commissioning

Mar 23, 2009 News

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ADVENTURE, CORENTYNE – The Felix Austin Police College in Division ‘B’ of the Guyana Police Force stands ready for re-commissioning on Friday March 27th. Commander of the Division, Assistant Commissioner, George Alexander Vyphuis indicated that Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Police Commissioner Henry Greene are among those to grace the occasion with their presence.

At that ceremony, A.H.& L. Kissoon Limited is expected to donate two sets of mattresses, while Citizens Bank will contribute a computer.

Actual rehabilitation work on the academy commenced in September 2008 and was completed during the latter part of December.

The buildings were in a deplorable state and as such could not be used.

Mid-February 2008, the Divisional Commander serving at that time, Assistant Commissioner Clinton Conway, during a meeting with the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, spoke inter alia of the need for more police ranks in the force, the purpose of the Felix Austin College and of the importance of the public and police working in tandem.

Mr. Conway then threw out a challenge to the Chamber. That institution then pledged $100,000 to assist in the restoration of the college. A few weeks later, the Chamber formed a Restoration Committee and the fund raising journey started.

The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce funded the renovation of one dormitory, the constructed a kitchen and the painting of both structures. They also furnished the dormitory and provided the necessary paraphernalia for water supply in the compound.

The Chamber was also instrumental in getting DIPCON and the Region Six Administration on board.

DIPCON resurfaced the training tarmac and the Regional Administration funded the repairs done to another building. According to the President of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, Bhigroog Poonai, the entire venture was completed to the tune of $10 million.

Assistant Commissioner Clinton Conway, who retired in October last year, had said that when the Adventure College was constructed 19 years ago, it was well wishers who donated the necessary material and equipment.

Members of the Police Construction Section from Georgetown and Berbice built the actual structures.

The spot, on which the college is constructed, was previously the Traffic Outpost, which was established after the commissioning of the Corentyne Highway in the early 1970s.

According to Mr. Conway, the late President Hugh Desmond Hoyte declared the Felix Austin Police College in ‘B’ Division opened in 1990. Conway a Superintendent at that time, was the first Commandant of the college.

Heading the Guyana Police Force when the Felix Austin was established was Commissioner Laurie Lewis with Assistant Commissioner Winston Felix as Commander of Division ‘B’. The academy is known to have produced, among others, Senior Superintendent David Ramnarine who is now second in command of the ‘E’ and ‘F’ Division, Superintendent Simon Mc Bean, now third in command at Division ‘B’ and Assistant Superintendent Errol Watts, Officer in Charge of the lower East Coast of Demerara.

Back in 2008, Mr. Conway had said that the Commissioner of Police Henry Greene, in focusing on recruitment and training at all levels in each division, had directed the Assistant Commissioner Training to embark on a rigid recruitment drive to address the existing manpower shortage in the force. The President of the Central Corentyne Chamber, last week reflected that shortage of manpower is the main reason for undertaking to restore the B Division Felix Austin Police College.

“The place is there and it is under utilized and there is always a shortage of police ranks, so if it is restored we can start training people right here in Berbice. It can also be used for training Community Policing Groups and Neighbourhood Police as well.” Mr. Poonai is hoping that with the completion of this facility more Berbicians would take up a career in law enforcement.

“One of the problems was that people found it difficult to leave Berbice and go to Georgetown for training. So with this facility completed, it is expected that it would bear some fruit.” Mr. Poonai lauded the members of the Guyana Police Force for their support during the venture

and for overseeing the entire project.

He also expressed gratitude to all those organizations and individuals who made the completion of the project a reality. Mr. Vyphuis handed plaudits to the Central Corentyne Chamber, the Regional Administration and those who made the venture possible.

Commander Vyphuis pointed out that Division ‘B’ is relatively short of staff.

With this facility up and running, more persons would not only be recruited at the Adventure College but they will be trained there and will remain in the Division.

Among the first set listed for training, is the fourth batch of Neighbourhood Police ranks.

These 30 persons should have started going through the paces on February 27th but this was put off due to some setbacks.

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