“Hand in the guns and let’s help”- Police Commissioner tells Albouystown residents

Apr 12, 2014 News

– as community project is launched

In an effort to regain trust and respect, the Guyana Police Force yesterday afternoon launched its first community based project called ‘Impact Albouystown’, at the Basketball court, Independence Boulevard and Hunter Street, Albouystown. The project is being spearheaded by newly appointed Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud (Ag) along with the Heavenly Light World Outreach Fellowship and the Albouystown Masjid.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud meeting with youths within the Albouystown community yesterday.

The faith based organizations are expected to play an integral role in the creation of a safer neighbourhood.
Prior to the official launching ceremony, Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud (Ag) walked through the community greeting the residents. The Commissioner told residents that the project has several aspects which are all designed to transform the community.
He said more emphasis will be placed on law enforcement and gun crimes. Persaud noted that his ranks will be increasing foot patrols as well as stop and search operations which are intended to keep the community clean of illegal guns and illicit drugs.
Persaud further told residents that the police will focus on helping residents deal with domestic violence.
Another target point for the police will be ‘youth gangs’ which have plagued the community, the Commissioner mentioned.
He added that vocational skills training programmes ,targeting persons of all age groups, will be implemented and the recipients will be given opportunities to do ‘on job’ attachments.
Residents will also be exposed to computer training, Persaud noted, adding that six desk top work stations, have been donated to the project by the business community.
The Commissioner disclosed that the Zara Group out of Queens, New York will be paying for an IT teacher to assist residents who are desirous of accepting the training.
Moreover, Persaud told residents that the project would also be targeting truancy within the community.
“We want to address this growing problem….once the police catches a child who is not in school, the child would be taken home and the Inter- Faith groups would go into the home to really try to find out if there’s a problem within the home and offer counseling” Persaud noted.
Another plan for the community, Persaud said, would be the building of a playground for youths. He said that the land has already been allotted and work is expected to commence shortly. Further, coaches from the Guyana Police Force will also come into the community and “scout” for talent.
“They would come into the community and help look for talent….we need to tap into this…Albouystown has tremendous talent they just need to channel it in the right direction,” Commissioner Persaud noted.
According to Persaud, Army Chief Mark Phillips has also signaled his support for the project. “The Army Chief will also be lending support for the project and once everything is on stream there would be medical outreaches by the army,” Persaud noted.
There will also be a ‘Criminal Reintegration’ aspect of the project which would focus solely on residents who are incarcerated. That aspect of the project the Commissioner said will see the Georgetown Prison working with the residents.
Need for police outpost in Albouystown
Meanwhile, Pastor of the Heavenly Light World Outreach Fellowship, Elsworth Williams pleaded with the top cop to increase patrols within the community and also for a police outpost to be built.
The church leader said that all the faith based organizations within the community would welcome such a move. Williams said that he hopes emphasis is placed on women’s rights and domestic violence issues.
“The Rights of a Woman should be respected, enforced and celebrated,” the pastor said. Williams said that it is also hoped that the pressing issue of child abuse is addressed. He suggested that a programme be developed solely to tackle this.
“We welcome more patrols….we want a police outpost and don’t let the politics come into this project,” Williams noted.