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Police, Fire Service to get new buildings, equipment as $44.8B approved for Home Affairs Ministry
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn
Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Home Affairs has secured a substantial funding injection of $44.8 billion aimed at fortifying the nation’s security apparatus and ensuring peace within the country.
The breakdown of the allocations is as follows: Policy Development and Administration $2.5 billion; Guyana Police Force $30 billion; Guyana Prison Service $6.4 billion; Guyana Fire Service $4.3 billion, General Register Office, $317 million and Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit $827 million.
The lion’s share of this funding is dedicated to the Guyana Police Force, with $5 billion earmarked for the construction and improvement of various facilities. Among these are police stations, regional command centers, living quarters, and specialized units like the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters $80 million, Tactical Service Unit (TSU) $143 million, Mocha Police Station $35 million, Sparendaam Police Station $54.4 million, Special Constabulary Headquarters $72 million. Additionally, $1 billion is allocated to advance the construction of the new US$28 million Brickdam Police Headquarters.
Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn highlighted that construction on several projects under the $5 billion allocation has been underway since 2022. Another $1 billion is set aside for the acquisition of vehicles, motorcycles, boats, and engines, with a focus on enhancing the mobility of the force.
In a bid to cultivate a more skilled and versatile Police Force, the government plans to invest $250 million in training programmes.
“The Guyana Police Force, given the challenges both of crime nationally and transnational organised crime, has to be a modern Police Force. This requires training at all levels,” Minister Benn said. The plan also includes the procurement of 300 body cameras for police ranks.
For the Guyana Fire Service, of the allocated $4.3 billion, the sum of $505 million designated for rehabilitating fire stations and $500 million for the acquisition of firefighting equipment. Some of the stations the minister listed include Leonora, Charity, Diamond, Timehri, Linden, Parika and others.
Minister Benn highlighted the need for modern apparatus. He said, “We have bought 16 water bowsers, and we are awaiting delivery. We are buying eight new water tenders. We are buying a new fire boat now that the activity on the Harbour is expanding, particularly in Demerara, we are buying six other ambulances,” he pointed out.
Furthermore, the Guyana Prison Service received $6.4 billion, with a significant portion allocated to infrastructure enhancement. An additional $20 million is designated to improve the mobility of its officers.
The Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit is granted $827.4 million to equip its ranks in combating the drug trade, including the reconstruction of a new CANU Headquarters and other essential resources. The General Register Office is allocated $317 million to ensure the maintenance and security of national registers, with a focus on improving the rate of adult registration in the country.
Minister Benn stressed the importance of addressing the deficit in registering Guyanese citizens, particularly considering challenges with neighbouring Venezuela.
“We have taken the position that we will employ people throughout all the regions, and we will… get them registered as citizens of Guyana. We have the challenge with Venezuela, and we cannot have people going there … without birth certificates and other documents to verify they are citizens of Guyana. This cannot continue,” he said.
Additionally, the ministry itself will undertake the reconstruction of a new CANU Headquarters on Homestretch Avenue valued at $220 million. Also, the ministry will also spend some $570 million to reconstruct the Juvenile Holding Centre, and a Transitional Centre for the cost of $82 million.
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