SWAT Team to begin training by mid-January- Rohee

Jan 04, 2014 News

A forensic laboratory, training of a SWAT team and the acquisition of an aircraft for the Guyana Police Force are some of the projects that the Home Affairs Ministry plans to get off the ground this year.
“The year 2014 promises to be one of opportunities and challenges for the Ministry of Home Affairs and I strongly believe that the Ministry…is poised to make a meaningful contribution to the safety and well-being of the citizens of Guyana,” Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, said yesterday.
Outlining some of these plans, Rohee disclosed that 14 applicants from the Guyana Police Force were interviewed and identified for training at the Aeronautical Engineering School at Ogle, East Coast Demerara. They are expected to commence training this year.
“In respect of the Aeronautical Branch for the Guyana Police Force, efforts are underway to develop the structure of the Branch and to source a Fixed Wing Aircraft for its operation,” the Minister said.
Regarding the setting up of a Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team, to confront special types of violent crime, Rohee revealed that an Organizational Needs Assessment for the Unit has been completed while training should commence by mid-January.
The Ministry has signed a contract with The Emergence Group (TEG) of the United States of America to train ranks for the Unit.
He also stated that the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory should have been completed last April, but this goal was not realised due to delays experienced by the primary Contractor.
“The project which is approximately 90 percent completed is now expected to be completed by February.”
He said that equipment for the laboratory has already been procured and the installation will commence this month, after uninterrupted power supply is installed in the building.
Staff members for the laboratory have already been recruited and are becoming au fait with their individual and collective responsibilities.
“The Director of the Forensic Laboratory was recruited in October 2013. That officer is now developing an Operational/Activity Plan from the Laboratory’s Strategic Plan,” Rohee said. Meanwhile, the Minister also said that Rehabilitation works in the sum of $4,490,325 were conducted at the Marine Wing of the Guyana Police Force and four aluminum boats and one 500HP Work boat were procured at an overall cost of $64.9 million.
In addition, two training courses for coxswains for command of Territorial Sea Patrol Boats were conducted from last August 1, to August 30, 2013, and from November 16, 2013 to November 29, 2013 respectively at the Guyana Police Force Officers Training Centre.
He said that these measures “will go a far way to ensure that the water transport and human resource capacity of the GPF Marine Wing to combat piracy and other crimes committed in our territorial sea and the internal waterways of Guyana.
And Rohee also noted that work has already commenced on the modernization of the Guyana Prison Service.
A Standing Orders Committee has been established to compile Standing Orders for the Agency and various Boards, all of which include civilians have been established to assist the Agency in fulfilling its mandate.
Cabinet has also approved a name change for the Guyana Prison Service to ‘Guyana Prison and Correctional Service’. The Ministry has approached the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs requesting that the Bill for this name change be tabled in Parliament.
In addition, $122M of the budgetary allocation of $129M for Capital works in 2013 was spent on projects, including the Construction of the Brick Prison ; Construction of Lusignan Prison; Rehabilitation of Trade Shops and procurement of Cell Locks
According to the Minister, these projects are intended to provide a more secure environment for officers and inmates.
Work is apace to overhaul the Lusignan Prison to transform it into a modern facility in keeping with the Ministry’s thrust for the Guyana Prison Service to evolve into an institution with a “Correctional” focus.

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