$15.3B budgeted for Police Force

Feb 14, 2021 News

The recently renovated Aurora Police Station on the Essequibo Coast which cost $40.3M.

Kaieteur News – The sum of $15.3B has been allocated for the Guyana Police Force in the 2021 national budget. This was announced by Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, when he presented the $383.1B national budget on Friday.
Dr. Singh in his presentation outlined some main areas in which the $15.3B is slated to be spent. He noted, for instance, that the sum of $300M will be used to procure more vehicles and marine vessels to expand the Force’s existing fleet across Guyana. Also, over $800M will be used for the rehabilitation, maintenance and construction of police stations.
Among the police stations to undergo works are those at Providence, Ruimveldt, Cove and John, Albion, Wales and Whim, according to Minister Singh.
The idea of upgrading police stations had started with the previous administration back in 2019 under then Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan. That year a total of $821M was allocated for the rehabilitation works and modernisation of police stations.
In 2020, it was reported that works were ongoing on several police stations and another $1B was allocated for this during the emergency budget presented by the current administration.
Apart from its plan to continue funding this initiative, Dr. Singh said his government will also use $95M to resuscitate the community policing groups also known as ‘neighbourhood police’.
According to the Minister, the neighbourhood police programme was dormant over the last five years and his government plans on making them visible again within communities across Guyana.
He also highlighted in his presentation that from the total sum allocated, some will be used to train some 824 police ranks to improve the Force’s investigative and forensic capability. He said too that those ranks will benefit from 20 courses along with overseas training.

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