· Apart from the domestic issue, we have to examine the regional trends in crime. What are the factors driving crime within our region? I hope that you would also spend some time on this issue because you may only be looking at what we can do here in Guyana. There were two statements issued recently by Caricom and I hope that in the conference you would spend some time examining those statements.

· It was a year when people came to the realisation about the difficulties that police operate face, the trying circumstances which they have to deal with on a day to day basis. They have come to recognise their heroic acts. I have seen young men and women of the Guyana Police Force who are out there, day and night patrolling the streets of this country. They are being shot at, but still continue to perform their duty. You cannot help but respect that.

· We have to have political space to operate within. I am very pleased that Mr. Robert Corbin, leader of the PNCR is here and I am also pleased about the statements he has made in terms of supporting the police in the fight against crime. We need a conducive political climate with which to operate. Criminals, as the Commissioner correctly pointed out, do not have loyalties to any political cause. Criminal activities cannot be equated with political or any other cause.

· I have absolute confidence in the leadership of the Army and the Police Force. But it is to be expected that from time to time there will be disagreements. I reserve the right to speak out on these to let the country know, for example, that I disagree on tactical issues. However, no one, here or abroad, should construe such actions as the Commander-in-Chief being in a fight with the Army or the Police Force.

· We still have problems with coordination between on the Army and the Police. Many of you know that issues of coordination are affecting our effectiveness on the ground. That has to be resolved because only then can we effectively deal with the situation in Buxton and other places.

· This year we have allotted about $7.2B for security in the country, that between the police and the army. A significant portion is for the police. We have to address some key things including conditions of service and I want you to know that I am personally looking into this matter. People also have to be equipped to do the job.

· We have to make sure that every Police Station across the country is safe and secure from criminal attack. We have to upgrade the Police Stations to create an environment where people would want to work. This requires a lot of resources, but is necessary.

· I have also said to the Commissioner, the Police Force must be a place where people can come in here for a career; they just do not have to do beat duty. We have to identify people from the Police Force as we have done with the army, the army has a core of trained people; we have done in the past few years the most training and not just in soldiering, in almost every conceivable field. The GPF must have that too.

· Every policeman should be exposed to some form of training, different forms of training, different from the elementary training that they receive when they just become a Police rank. Another issue I have made it clear to every one that I have spoken to, is that we have to operate within the laws of this country. We have to operate upholding the highest traditions of the Police Force. We have to operate within our Constitution. Human Rights issues are very important too and Policemen have to pay heed to that because sometimes the actions of a few create problems for everyone in the Police Force.

· We are thankful for various forms of assistance from friendly governments. Let me tell you some things about advice and I hope when you are discussing the plans today, because many of the plans came out of advice from abroad which is good. Its best practices have to be relevant to this country, to the situation here. I hope that you discuss the advice we have received and that these can be tested by your knowledge on the ground and by your experience. We are not going to implement things that are ideal to some people but cannot work here.

· You need to be out there working on the image of the police force because in this world it is all about marketing. When the irresponsible sections of the media portray a negative impression, it takes considerable effort to erase that impression. This is just as important as fighting the bandits, going out there and patrolling the streets. So I hope that you spend some time on that matter too.