A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was on Monday signed between the Ministry of Public Security and several contractors to effect remodelling of seven Police Stations to the tune of $150.4 million, as a part of the Citizens Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP).
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan hands over contract to one of the contractors
The general objective of the CSSP is to contribute to a reduction in crimes and violence in Guyana. The specific objectives are to improve non-violent conflict resolution in targeted communities; increase the Guyana Police Force’s effectiveness in crime prevention and crime investigation nationally; and to improve the Guyana Prison Service’s effectiveness in reducing offender repeats at the national level.
Issano ($17.4million), Port Kaituma and Mabaruma ($31.7million), Aishalton ($20.5million), Annai ($26.2million), Suddie and Aurora Police Stations ($54.5million) are all scheduled to be remodelled. The projects were respectively awarded to R. Wilson Construction (two projects), Arouca Investments, R. Kissoon Contracting Services, and Ragoobeer General Construction.
Project Manager Clement Henry has said the remodelling is Phase 2 of the CSSP, with the target being 18.
“For the Police Stations, it’s about remodelling (them), making them a lot more user-friendly. Some of our Police Stations, we want to improve the overall aesthetics of the Police Stations. We also want to have waiting areas that are user friendly; we’re moving towards installing domestic violence rooms, so that persons reporting cases of domestic violence can do so with some level of confidentiality. We’re also looking to ensure there is a computer room and an area where they can gather evidence in a confidential process,” he said.
“We are looking (at a) maximum (of) 14 days to mobilise from the signing of the MOU. Some of the locations are really hinterland, and we are really lucky that many of the people assigned contracts have really been working in that area. So it makes it really easy in terms of mobilising,” Henry added.
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has said the remodelling of the Police Stations comes as a part of the Ministry’s capital expenditure budget. He explained that there have been criticisms of ministries not achieving their capital works’ target, but he noted that the process of awarding projects is one that undergoes extreme scrutiny, and can be time consuming.
“I think it will take some time, but at the latter part of the year, that’s when also major contracts are signed on; and indeed that is what is happening here, and I want to inform people out there that, indeed, we are going to get our money spent,” he said.
Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory
Additionally, a contract for the installation of electrical works at the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory was awarded to Horatio Contracting Services to the tune of $16.5 million.
Henry said that they are also starting the process of procuring over US$500,000 in equipment for the laboratory, which would see the DNA testing and analysis.
“Our focus for the Forensic Laboratory this year is to ensure that we first get national accreditation. We now have Herman Edmonson, a consultant from Jamaica, who is working to bring us towards national accreditation. In the meantime, we are working towards getting international ISO accreditation, so most of these works that we are doing (are) setting the platform for not only (matters concerning) DNA, but we also want to ensure we have international accreditation,” he said.
“We are also working to secure a proficiency testing body, to ensure that we bring credibility to all the tests conducted in the laboratory. In terms of timeline for DNA, we have been in discussion to commence the procurement process, and we expect that process to take within 6 months or so; that is the timeline. We will also have to add time for training to utilise that equipment; and by the time we are finished with that — I’m thinking that by 9 months — we should be there and ready,” he added.
Meanwhile, with the exception of DNA analysis/testing, Ramjattan said, the Laboratory does almost everything in relation to document forgery, counterfeit and fingerprinting.
“We have to do the air quality system and the security system, which will be contracts that are up for single-sourcing that will be to the tune of $50million, and that will take care of the infrastructural works that are going to be completed for DNA testing,” he said.
“However, it does not mean they will be doing DNA testing. What it will do is everything else until such time (as) it gets the equipment to do the DNA testing. We will get some support from the Americans and IDB, but the actual infrastructural works, that is going to take us to the DNA level,” Ramjattan added.
The aim of the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory is to provide a quality scientific service to clients, thus fulfilling a key mandate in being an effective arm of the judicial system.
