With the Hindu festival of lights, Deepavali due to be celebrated on Friday, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee and senior police officials met with Alexander Village residents yesterday to discuss a security plan aimed at countering any disruptions.
In recent years Alexander Village residents have complained bitterly about the uproar and commotion created by strangers who enter the area on Deepavali night.
After several reports were carried in the media and letters sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Office of the President a security plan was implemented for the first time last year and the event passed off without trouble.
Following a meeting with residents at the West Ruimveldt Primary School last October the Home Affairs Minister and police had ensured that there was a police presence in the village last Deepavali.
Several residents thanked the Home Affairs Ministry for the prompt and efficient service last year and indicated that they expected the same service next week. “The police (did) a good job last year but there was still a few squibs around the place,” one woman said.
Rohee yesterday noted that at last year’s meeting residents had raised concerns about persons within the village selling firecrackers. He then invited suggestions from residents on how they would like this issue to be dealt with. Those delinquent persons within the community, one woman said, will be identified and a report made to the police.
The minister also pointed out that Alexander Village has an approximate population of 2000 and there were only about 50 residents present at yesterday’s meeting. However, those residents insisted that they believed they were reasonably representative of the village and were voicing the needs of the people.
“We need the same security we had last year…that is all we’re begging for,” the resident said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Rohee said, will ensure that peace is restored to Alexander Village permanently. The uproar which has been occurring in Alexander Village in recent years, he said, had not been reported from any other area. The negativity will not continue in the village, Rohee stressed, and his ministry will not allow a stigma to be attached to the location.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner and Commander of Police ‘A’ Division George Vyphuis endorsed Rohee’s promise of a peaceful Deepavali. Vyphuis explained that the security setting next month will be similar to last year.
There will be police manning the entrances of all the village’s streets and vehicular traffic will not be allowed in the area from 3 pm.
All residents of the area, Vyphuis stressed, are warned that if their vehicles are not in the village by 3 pm then they will not be allowed to enter. At that time all shops in the area will be asked to cease operation for the day.
He further said that security will be slightly improved this year because more ranks will be assigned to the village from 1.30 pm on the Deepavali day until well into the night. Police, Vyphuis told happy residents, will be celebrating Deepavali with Alexander Village.
“It will come to point when no police will have to come here and people will behave,” the Assistant Commissioner stated, sparking loud applause from those present.
Anyone found with a firecracker, Vyphuis said, will be arrested and passed through the court since it is a crime to be in possession of such materials. “We will deal with them [offenders] condignly…you don’t have to tell us to do our jobs. We will do what we are paid for,” he said.
