We publish below an abridged version of the opening statement made by Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Ronald Gajraj at the media briefing on Friday June 6, 2003, at the GTV Studios.

GOOD day to you all ladies and gentlemen of the media, my Colleagues at the Head Table and other Guests. I bid you welcome to this Media Briefing through which I shall attempt to update you, and through your media the Guyanese nation on relevant matters and responsibilities falling under the purview of my Ministry, the Ministry of Home Affairs.

It has been three and one half months since I held my last Media Briefing, but I am certain that because of your work and primary responsibilities, you would be acutely aware of what transpired since then, on the internal security front as well as on matters relating to the Prison and Fire Services. I am aware that our society’s sense of insecurity and its daily concerns with regard to the effects of crime on personal safety tend to overshadow the many positive developments, achievements and programmes that would have emanated from my Ministry over the last quarter. That is understandable and I shall seek to strike the balance as we proceed.

Before I do so, I wish in the spirit of my own personal ‘constructive engagement’ with you members of the media, to urge you once again to assist my ministry and all its agencies to regain and sustain a state of law and order and public safety in our society. My Ministry stands ready to support you in that cause at all times.

THE GUYANA POLICE FORCE
As you are aware, there has been an increase in criminality over the last year, both in frequency and in the degree of violence. The law enforcement agencies have had to reconfigure and strengthen their operational arms to successfully confront and deal with the new breed of crime.

In 2002, in order to build capacity, the Guyana Police Force received a total of $333, 500, 000 to be spent on Police Stations and buildings, land and water transport, equipment and furniture and other equipment. This year, 2003, the capacity is further strengthened with a Capital Expenditure allocation of $355, 000, 000.

The forensic capability of the Force has been enhanced through the acquisition of modern laboratory equipment and the employment of qualified personnel. The investigative capability of the Force has therefore been enhanced by scientific methodology. The firepower of front line personnel has been increased. Protective gear and a fleet of quick transport have been provided. The beneficial effect of these interventions is evident in the abatement of criminal activities in high crime areas.

As I indicated at my last Media Briefing, the Force plans to undertake a number of initiatives to rise to its crime fighting challenges this year and these have been implemented and are progressing well. I wish therefore to give you a brief update as to the status of some of those initiatives.

· Establishment of a specialised training centre where police officers and other law enforcement officers will be exposed to modern anti-crime training. We are in the process of acquiring the plot of land for the new training centre.

· Review of existing legislation continues: The second reading of the Kidnapping Bill took place on June 5, 2003.

· Formation of Air Wings: A Coordinating Committee meets with stakeholders with a view to identifying Hangar, specification of aircraft, training, etc.

· Recruitment exercise continues countrywide.
We have included in these initiatives, the development of a corps of specially trained and academically qualified personnel to enhance the Traffic Department and to boost the investigative capabilities of the Criminal Investigative Department.

It is comforting to see the majority of drivers of vehicles ‘buckling up’ in the front seats and various shades of tints disappearing from the windshields and windows of motor vehicles. You would have noticed an increase in the number of traffic officers at the congested intersections and on the highways.

Since my last media conference, the (members of the) Guyana Police Force has continued their anti-crime campaign. For this year so far, the Police arrested 655 (compared to 2016 in 2002) suspects charged with various offences including murder, robbery under arms and rape.

They seized 36 (compared to 85 in 2002) firearms and a quantity of ammunition in separate incidents. In armed confrontation 15 (compared to 31 in 2002) fatal shootings were committed.

The Force lost 14 Police Officers who were killed by bandits. Cabinet is giving active consideration through group insurance coverage of front line officers, to further ameliorate the economic hardships of dependents slain policemen.

Members of the media, our Policemen are constantly under attack on and off duty; they are threatened, fired upon and insulted as they put their lives on the line everyday to preserve the peace, maintain public order, prevent and detect crime and protect persons and their properties.

Again I wish to state that the Police Force needs the support of the public in the execution of its duties. Crime is everyone’s business and therefore, as we voice our concern over the level of criminal activities in our society, we must support the measures necessary to arrest the situation.

Violent crimes have not been eliminated from our fair land, but their frequency has certainly been reduced in recent times due mainly to improvements in the crime fighting capacity of the Police and the assistance rendered by the Guyana Defence Force and other Security Agencies in the maintenance of peace and security especially on the East Coast of Demerara.

THE GUYANA PRISON SERVICE
The Guyana Prison Service remained relatively stable

Currently, rehabilitative works are in progress at the Timehri Prison and the Mazaruni Officers Quarters.

The Mazaruni Brick Prison Project has just been completed and some prisoners will be transferred from Georgetown to Mazaruni, thus further reducing the overcrowding and its attendant problems at the Georgetown Prison.

For security and other measures, efforts are continuing to locate a suitable site outside of the city to erect a central prison to replace the Georgetown Prison

For 2003, Government provided $35,000,000 for Capital Projects at Mazaruni, Timehri and Georgetown Prisons. A tractor for development of agriculture at New Amsterdam Prison at the cost of $2,900,000 and other equipment such as body armour, video cameras etc. to the value of $4,200,000, were provided also.

To facilitate safe and quick transportation between Mazaruni Prison and its neighbouring communities, a fiberglass boat was purchased complete with outboard engines and life jackets.

Training of Prison Officers continues to be high priority for the Prison Service and prisoners are learning the skills and attitudes that will enable them to be re-integrated into the society as law abiding citizens, when they are released from Prison.

Two special programmes that were conducted recently were:

a. The Sex Offenders’ programme which targeted offending behaviour of inmates incarcerated for sexual offences.

b. The Ceramic and Arts Class which sought to provide skills training for inmates.

Very shortly, a Drugs Rehabilitation Programme will be launched for prisoners located at the Lusignan Prison.

Meals provided for inmates were adequate in quantity and nutrition, and efforts are ongoing to improve the cooking environment at all locations.

Generally the Prison remains calm.

THE GUYANA FIRE SERVICE
The Guyana Fire Service has been performing admirably to deliver a better quality of service to citizens. For this year, the Service responded to 615 fire calls, of which 118 were electrical fires mainly due to arching of GPL over head cables. Resulting from these fires, 53 buildings were completely destroyed, eight were severely damaged and 178 persons were left homeless.

Major causes were electrical fires and deliberate setting.

The Fire Service performed services as follow:

· Carried out Fire Prevention inspections and made recommendations on 341 Government and private premises

· Processed 37 building plans

· Issued 847 Safety Certificates to operate entities

· Granted 194 licences to store and sell petroleum

· Delivered 74 lectures on fire prevention

· Conducted 23 evacuation drills

With respect to Capital Expenditure for 2003, the mobility of the Fire Service will be further enhanced by the provision of $7.8M for land transport, $24,061,000 for Fire Ambulance and Stations, and $10,200,000 for tools, equipment and office furniture.

The Anna Regina Fire Station will be completed in July and will provide much needed service for residents on the Essequibo Coast.

The service continued to place great emphasis on training of Fire Officers and public education programmes in Fire Prevention.

THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS SECRTEARIAT
It is not very often I use these Media Briefings to report directly on the work being executed by my Ministry’s Head Office.

From time to time, the Ministry of Home Affairs becomes the focus of attention from supporters of persons aggrieved by harm done to family or friends allegedly by the police, angry street demonstrations and rumours and misinformation in the media. Much energy, time and other resources have to be diverted towards correcting such misinformation and rumours.

Despite such unwelcome diversionary incidents, the Ministry remained focused on its core responsibilities and I wish now to mention some of its projects and programmes.

The Diagnostic Study for Computerisation of the Ministry of Home Affairs is on stream. The consultants have submitted an interim report, which is currently being studied by the Agencies. This programme sets the stage for the use of modern information technology in crime fighting, speedy providance of public service networking among agencies of the Ministry and more efficient management of information.

· We are working with the Geology and Mines Commission to ensure that foreign nationals are documented and regularised and the entry and operations of foreign miners in the interior of Guyana are monitored.

· We have been tasked with coordinating the implementation of the Guyana/Brazil Road Transport Agreement - a bilateral arrangement which, in the long term, holds great promise for the development of trade and tourism between Guyana and Brazil and also for further economic development of areas between Linden and Lethem.

· We plan to work the General Register Office to conduct three seminars for Marriage Officers. These seminars will aim at making Marriage Officers aware of their legal and moral responsibilities and provide them the opportunity to resolve difficulties they experience in their interactions with personnel of the GRO.

· We plan to conduct a seminar for immigration officers and to commence work on a National Immigration Policy.