Government plans to invest “a significant sum of money” in training Community Policing Groups in disaster preparedness, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said yesterday.
Rohee and another CPG member, with the donated ATVs in background.
The Minister made the disclosure while handing over some $15M in vehicles and equipment to Community Policing Groups countrywide, during a brief ceremony outside his Ministry.
“One of the additional features (of community policing) will be disaster preparedness. A significant sum of money will be spent to train community policing members in disaster preparedness, and this will be done in conjunction with the Civil Defence Commission,” Rohee said.
“As you know, Guyana is prone to floods and other disasters, and equipment such as boats could be used in that respect.”
The donations included a pickup for Leguan, Essequibo; two boats for Wakenaam and Linden; two All Terrain Vehicles for Lethem and Mabaruma; two motorcycles for Berbice and ‘D’ Division; a 32-seater bus to transport community group members and ten brush-cutters.
The Home Affairs Minister said that the donations were in keeping with Government’s pledge to provide resources for the CPGs to enable them to effectively execute their responsibilities.
“The whole idea behind this is to ensure Community Policing Groups maintain close working relationships not only with the police in their respective divisions, but residents in the community. This is a very important aspect of citizen’s security,” he added.