Home Minister inspects downtown police booths
Stabroek News
December 9, 2003
On a walkabout in downtown yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, warned police to be alert to robberies carried out on Christmas shoppers.
After visiting recently erected police booths he told reporters that he had already spoken with the police administration about increased protection for Christmas.
A number of white police booths are now set up, staffed with two officers with access to a telephone, batons, radio sets and handcuffs.
He noted that the ranks stationed at the booths were mostly recruits but added they were being monitored by mobile police patrols that were better equipped to deal with the hardened criminals. He said there were six mobile patrols operating in George-town complemented with other police officers, some working in plain clothes
As for why the recruits were not given guns, Gajraj said they could be easily overpowered by criminals and their weapons taken away. Despite this he said there had already been a reduction in petty crimes because of their presence.
Dial M for Minister: Home Minister, Ronald Gajraj, checks that the telephone in a downtown police booth is working. (Jules Gibson photo)
He said the officers could make arrests or call for backup if things got out of control.
Gajraj said the officers would possibly be on the streets after Christmas, longer than in previous years.
As for reports of persons going about wearing bulletproof vests with GPF logos, identifying themselves as policemen and 'arresting' citizens, he said at all times both the plain-clothed and uniformed police officers should identify themselves properly. He added that citizens must demand an identification card from anyone purporting to be policemen. "Let me say this, while we are doing all these things, the onus is on citizens to protect themselves and be on the lookout for such persons."
He was asked what steps were being taken to establish a police outpost in Sophia, a place also known for criminal activities. Gajraj said Sophia had long outgrown its police outpost and needed its own police station, which the government was now discussing. He said that in talks with Minister of Housing, Shaik Baksh they were considering having other government departments such as the Guyana Post Office share the building. He said he had already had discussions with GPOC Postmaster General, Noel Phillips, and would do a follow-up visit in Sophia very soon.