Relations-building crucial in crime fight -- Rohee
Guyana Chronicle
December 11, 2006
HOME Affairs Minister Clement Rohee yesterday urged members of the East Coast Demerara Policing Group to recognise relations-building as a critical aspect of crime fighting in communities where they operate.
The charge was made during a presentation ceremony for an inter-Community Policing Group (CPG) sporting competition sponsored by the Home Affairs Ministry, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
Among those at the Annandale Secondary School for the presentation were Divisional Chairman of the East Coast CPGs, Imtiaz Zafarali, and Divisional Police Coordinator, Balram Persaud.
Minister Rohee stressed that CPGs have “an integral role” in supplementing and complementing the role of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), and they should seek to engage in activities which build the confidence of residents.
According to GINA, he said that a practical means of achieving this is engaging in activities of a social nature.
Through these activities, he posited, CPGs will be able to strengthen cooperation for information sharing.
He noted that the success of the GPF and CPGs is not measured merely by the number of arrests made, but rather the efforts to ensure alternative activities to drugs and alcohol-abuse and other illegal activities, the agency said.
Rohee added that CPGs on the East Coast corridor have a pivotal role in the crime fight since a lot of criminal activities are perpetrated there.
GINA said he urged CPGs also to be extra vigilant during the upcoming holiday season since this period tends to give rise to widespread theft.
Meanwhile, Annandale-Sandreef emerged successful in the domino competition while Annandale Marshon secured the winning place in the softball competition.
The ministry will be promoting another series of competitions early in the new year during which CPGs from other divisions will have a chance to display their skills.