Latest update February 11th, 2025 2:15 PM
Latest News
- Govt. makes move to cancel CGX, Frontera Corentyne block license in 30 days
- ExxonMobil paying taxes in Bahamas but not a cent to Guyana
- Canadian company completes airstrip, roads to kick off 5.4M ounce gold project in Guyana
- Hamas threatens to postpone next hostage release, claiming Israel has broken terms of ceasefire deal
- Twelve-year-old girl missing for three weeks
PM Hinds addresses ICC T20 Security
WE HAVE IT SECURED!!! ICC T20 Security Director of Guyana, Paul Slowe (right) updates Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on the Security Plan for the hosting of the ICC T20 World Cup in Guyana while Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony listens in at centre.
By Edison Jefford
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, on an impromptu visit to the National Stadium yesterday, encouraged officers at a Security Training Session to do well again at the ICC T20 World Cup, which officially opens on April 30 in Guyana.
While Hinds’ visit had nothing to do with the final training session for security officers at the National Stadium, he took just over a minute to reassure those present that the country has a good track record of hosting international events.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony accompanied the Prime Minister on the impromptu tour of the international cricket venue where Hinds told security officers that they did well at the World Cup in 2007 and should do well again.
“I want to commend those who worked then (in 2007) to help us receive great kudos for our management of that event: you and Guyana will do well again. It is important that we do well to help our country’s presentation,” Hinds stated.
“I want to thank you for a job well done years ago and tell you that, having done so well then, our expectations is that you will do excellent on this occasion. I wish you success,” he continued, adding that Guyana will be on show.
Former Chief Executive Officer of the ICC, Malcolm Speed, was among those that gave Guyana high ratings for its hosting efforts of the 50-over version of the World Cup at an international press conference at the National Stadium in 2007.
Security Officers were trained prior to that event, and according to the ICC T20 Security Director of Guyana, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe, those same officers, who were available were recalled for the T20 World Cup.
Slowe, who has overall responsibility for security arrangements for the event, was briefly speaking to Kaieteur Sport during one of the breaks of the training session. He informed that 200 private security officers were trained.
“Because we have normal policing duties to perform, we went for private security firms. We have 200 private security officers on board, which would then relieve the police to do regular policing work,” Slowe explained following a question.
He was asked if the private security officers will be able to adequately address issues that are police-specific given the difference in training backgrounds. Slowe said that that was one of the reasons why so many training sessions were held.
“We are sure that they (the private security officers) will be able to function. They were trained in the pass by a British firm and some of them are still around, so we have that legacy. We also have people who we have trained and so we are confident that they will be able to deliver,” Slowe indicated.
He said that Guyana is well prepared to handle the security issues, and yesterday’s forum was more or less a debriefing session where all the officers that will be working at points in the National Stadium was updated on related duties.
“I am very confident that the plan that we have and training that we are doing that we will be able to deliver on a proper environment for the hosting of the ICC T20 in Guyana. We are well prepared and ready to host the event,” he stated.
Slowe informed that the package that the ICC offered the private security firms “was good” and as a result, such an enthusiasm was created among the private officers that over 400 of them wanted to work at the National Stadium.
However, he noted that they could have only accommodated 200 of them since the police also have a role to play in providing security. Slowe believed that public cooperation is a key element in making the security plan efficient.
“I ask for the cooperation of the public because we have the plan in place but we need the cooperation of the public in terms of some of the restrictions and so on we have in place,” Slowe said, adding that the idea is to provide a secure environment.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Are we better off today than we were before first oil?
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News-If you had asked me ten years ago what I wanted for Guyana, I would have said a few things:... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
