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$117M Mackenzie police station commissioned
The $117M Mackenzie police station that was commissioned yesterday.
Government is investing $1.18B in Central Government resources, for the refurbishment and building of police stations and police buildings nationwide.
And prior to 2018 it had expended approximately $821M in the refurbishing of these facilities.
For 2018, $307M is being expended on “standardized infrastructure”.
These disclosures were made at the commissioning of the new state of the art Mackenzie Police Station yesterday, by Minister of Public Security Kemraj Ramjattan.
The two storey edifice which is located in the compound where the old wooden facility stood on Bullet Wood Street Mackenzie,Linden, cost some $117M and was financed through the IDB, Ramjattan said.
The Public Security Minister stated: “With this modern building the police at Mackenzie would certainly be in a better position to protect and serve the residents of this Region.
“This facility was rebuilt to ensure effective policing in the community, as well as to provide a befitting working environment, for the men and women of the Guyana Police Force.”
Ramjattan said that upon taking office, it was realised that the general environs and atmosphere of police stations were not befitting the station or office of a policeman.
Thus, a big commitment had to be made in the capital works programme of the Guyana Police Force, to ensure that officers and ranks enjoy adequate and comfortable conditions in which to do “the very important work of serving and protecting.”
Ramjattan further detailed that most police stations were found to be between 60 to 80 years old and were very dilapidated.
He congratulated the police, Regional Officials and also the IDB, which financed the project and emphasized that it is even more important now, that “we have infrastructure, we also have to rehabilitate and reconstruct our individual energies to make the institution work.”
“An institution to serve and protect is only going to work when the individuals, the humans behind them, steer them properly and deliver the services to the people effectively,” Ramjattan declared.
Citing the need for a high level of professionalism and integrity, Ramjattan emphasized, that he did not want the police station to ever have an unsavory incidents, as the one at Leonora where the genitalia of a young boy was burnt by ranks there.
He pointed out that, this could only happen if there are individuals in the police force, who do not want to be professional and honest.
Underscoring that integrity is fundamental, Ramjattan said that this is essential to ensuring that the Force moves ahead expeditiously to the 21st century.
“The actions and words of our policemen matter. We can give you all the resources, excellent building, most modern rooms that are computerized and digitized, but if the policemen’s hearts are not in it, for the security and stability of the country and citizenry, we are not going to make progress. I urge you to make that effort, aspire to do what is good and right.”
Ramjattan exhorted the police ranks to take good care of the facility.
Commander of E Division Linden Lord thanked all those who took time out to grace the event.
Lord also expressed gratitude to his predecessors who helped pave the way for him to be the first head of the Division and thus enjoy the benefits of the facility.
Also delivering brief remarks were country representative for the IDB Sophie McKinnon, who spoke of the IDB’s role in the financing of 18 police stations and buildings across the country.
Of that number, 12 have already been built, McKinnon said. She added that $380 B or US$108 M has been committed to these projects.
Among those in attendance at the event were Commissioner of Police Leslie James and former Commanders of E Division Owen Trotz, Fazil Karim- Baksh and Anthony Vanderhyden. The keys for the new facility were handed over to newly appointed Commander, Superintendent Linden Lord.
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