Guyana cops for final CWC matches
By Mark Ramotar
Guyana Chronicle
March 29, 2007
HOME Affairs Minister Clement Rohee yesterday announced that Guyana will be sending a platoon of Police to Barbados to assist with regional security arrangements for the final matches of the Cricket World Cup (CWC) tournament under way.
“We have committed to sending a platoon of Police to Barbados to assist with the regional security arrangements, in keeping with the recent legislation that was…passed in the National Assembly and I believe that this will be a useful contribution to ensuring the security arrangements for CWC in the region as a whole,” Rohee told reporters.
At a news conference at the ministry, Rohee said the platoon of Guyanese policemen will leave for Barbados after the completion on April 9 of the six matches in the Super Eight stage of the CWC tournament in Guyana, the first of which was completed at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara yesterday.
The minister said he is “very satisfied” with the security arrangements in place in Guyana for the CWC event.
With the kind of security arrangements in place, Rohee assured that the cricket matches here “are in safe and secure hands”.
“I think that all Guyanese, particularly those on the East Bank corridor, will be assured when they see increased police presence, not necessarily at the stadium site, but on the East Bank itself.”
“I have absolutely no doubt that if anyone attempts any deviant activity that attracts the attention of the police, they obviously will feel the full brunt of the law,” Rohee declared.
“We have right now in Guyana a bomb detection and bomb disposal team from India and we also have two canine handlers from Trinidad and Tobago sent as part of the regional security arrangements.”
He, however, made it clear that these security assistance “are not bilateral arrangements” between Guyana and India or Guyana and Trinidad, but all fall within the ambit of the regional security arrangements put in place for CWC.
Rohee also said that based on the recent unfortunate experience in Jamaica, with the murder of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, he is satisfied that the arrangements in place here “are quite up to standard”.
He said he is satisfied with the smooth flow of traffic at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, noting that there has not been any major immigration problem so far.
“I am also fully satisfied that the immigration issues, in relation to persons arriving and departing at our airport, are quite up to standard and I have been given the assurance by the Chief Immigration Officer and the deputy Chief Immigration Officer… that the arrangements are working quite smoothly and so far no major complaints have been made.”
Rohee also noted that traffic ranks are and will be out in their numbers along the East Bank and East Coast corridors, and in and around Georgetown during the CWC matches in Guyana.
“The traffic ranks are expected to be very courteous but at the same time very aggressive in dealing with any untoward activity when dealing with any traffic violation,” he said.