Implementation of the Government of Guyana Security Sector Reform (SSR) Action Plan, funded by Britain, is underway and before the end of this month the police force will be boosted by equipment and the arrival of British security experts in key areas.
Last year July the United Kingdom unveiled the 3M Pounds Sterling action plan.
In a statement on Tuesday the British High Commission in Guyana said that the implementation of these immediate steps was agreed in December 2007 by Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, Acting Commissioner Henry Greene, and High Commissioner Fraser Wheeler, following agreement between the two governments on the overall SSR Action Plan in August 2007. The High Commission said that one of the early steps is to set up a new and expanded criminal intelligence unit as part of the Police Force. “Under the SSR Action Plan, the new unit will be fully furnished and equipped with a communication system and a computerised data collection and management system,” the high commission said.
According to the statement a United Kingdom police advisor will be in Guyana by the end of February to work with the Police Force to further develop crime intelligence, and provide training. Protective gear for use by ranks of the Anti-Crime Unit while in the line of fire is also being purchased, together with radio equipment to help them communicate more effectively when on crime scenes, the statement said.
GPS units, high resolution binoculars, and cameras will also be provided, while tactical training for this unit is also expected to be delivered shortly, the high commission said. Also to be delivered this month is enhanced communications equipment for the Force Control Room at Eve Leary and the Operations Room at the Brickdam Police Station that handles 911 calls. A trainer from the UK will arrive by the end of the month to deliver training in the use of the new equipment and to advise on improving service delivery to the public. In addition, in the context of building improved police/ community relations, some initial steps involving the media are also underway: on Friday and Saturday journalists will be engaged in a workshop aimed at improving their skills on crime reporting, and facilitating police-community relations. The workshop will be conducted by UK-based media consultant John Beverley, the statement said. It added that soon a UK advisor will arrive in Guyana to work with the Police Force to strengthen the GPF’s Office of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, the High Commission is looking at providing further training in the maintenance of public order, the statement noted, adding that this would complement training provided by UK trainers just before the Guyana 2006 general elections. Ways of strengthening the Force’s forensic capabilities and traffic policing are also being developed for early implementation, the high commission said.
The UK said that the agreement between the Governments of Guyana and Britain on a Security Sector Reform Action plan reflects an understanding that crime and security can only be effectively tackled in a comprehensive and holistic way. The plan aims to build the operational capacity of the Guyana Police Force, from the provision of a uniformed response to serious crime, to forensics, crime intelligence and traffic policing; strengthen policy-making across the security sector to make it more transparent, effective, and better co-ordinated; create substantial parliamentary and other oversight of the security sector; mainstream financial management in the security sector into public sector financial management reform and build greater public participation and inclusiveness on security sector issues.
This plan and others have come under increasing scrutiny in the aftermath of the Lusignan massacre. The government has been accused of dithering on several key reports and not proceeding with substantial security reforms.
