Latest update September 13th, 2026 10:36 AM
Senior Bartica police rank helping to combat underage drinking
The Ministry of Health is currently waging an all-out war on chronic Non-Communicable
Just say no
Diseases (NCDs) which has been claiming the lives of far too many citizens. This phenomenon which is not unique to Guyana is brought on mainly by dietary and behavioural risk factors.
Moreover, four risk factors that are gaining close attention by health sectors across the world are: unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol.
NCDs, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is known to kill more than 36 million people each year and these can manifest in four main forms: cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructed pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.
And even as moves are made to raise awareness about dietary intake, there has been no less attention paid to the importance of behavioural changes that can help safeguard people from NCDs.
And perhaps it was in an attempt to embrace the Ministry’s effort to tackle NCDs that an unprecedented move was undertaken by Officer in Charge (OC) of the Bartica Police Station, Assistant Superintendent Randolph Banwarie, to halt a session of under-age alcohol consumption.
It was during the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) Bartica Branch’s hosting of its annual inter-school championship sports, which was venued at the Bartica Secondary School ground on October 10 last that the OC observed that alcoholic beverages were being sold to school-aged children. He therefore put measures in place to swiftly remove the alcohol selling vendors seen at the school sports event.
The move by the OC was in fact witnessed by officials of the Bartica Interim Management Committee/Neighbourhood Democratic Council (IMC/NDC) who have since lauded the tactical intervention.
According to a statement issued by the IMC/NDC in this regard, “this move and effort by the police is highly commendable…the efforts by the police to minimise the level of alcohol use by the young people and helping to bring to our attention (to the fact) that there is still need to have alcohol free zones.”
Moreover, the statement added that the “IMC/NDC thanks the police for their efforts in helping to make our community a better place.”
It was also noted by the IMC/NDC that the police in the Region Seven locale have been realising continued successes in their efforts to provide safety and security.
It was also pointed out in the statement that while the police force is doing its part to “protect and serve” there is also a crucial need for residents, particularly parents and guardians, to support these efforts. Such a strategic collaboration, it was noted, will undoubtedly help to minimise what the IMC/NDC described as “lawlessness” characterised by the sale of alcohol to minors in the community.
“In keeping with our open door policy the IMC/NDC stands ready and willing to partner with civil, religious, youth group associations and committees, to work together and build bridges of hope for the further development of Bartica and its residents,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the IMC/NDC also lauded the coordinating efforts of the Bartica GTU Branch for spearheading an incident-free sporting event.
Share this:
Discover more from Kaieteur News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.