Security across all sectors critical to Guyana’s development – President Ali

Keeping Guyana secured is not only about addressing crime but rather it requires diversification across all sectors, including building a Guyana that can withstand the vulnerability to climate change.

This was the view expressed by President Dr Irfaan Ali as he addressed hundreds of Guyanese at the 56th Independence Anniversary celebration in Anna Regina, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Wednesday.
He told the gathering that his Government is working on an elaborate security plan which will see investment in infrastructure, equipment, diversification, training, and improving the working conditions of members of the Joint Services.
“But it is much more than that, keeping Guyana safe requires us to build a Guyana that can withstand the vulnerability of climate change. We are a low-lying coastal country, we have to invest in infrastructure, we have to safeguard the environment,” President Ali explained.
Noting that Guyana intends to play a leadership role in climate change, he reminded that the country’s development path is crafted in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) “because we want to find a balanced pathway to economic development and expansion”.
He said that keeping Guyana safe also requires investment in food security, agriculture, sports, women, the elderly, mental health, education, supporting the vulnerable, and ensuring animals are safe.
“It is in these collective investments that we will secure our future on all the diversified fronts, investment will build our economy on a multifaceted platform, on different legs that will ensure our country is sustainable and create new opportunities…”
Last October, President Ali launched the renewed and expanded LCDS 2030. The LCDS addresses four main objectives, namely forest climate, and other ecosystem services; how to stimulate future growth through clean energy and sustainable economic activities; protecting humanity and biodiversity against climate change and, how to align Guyana with global climate goals.
Through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), the Government has provided thousands of scholarships to Guyanese to pursue online tertiary level programmes via partnerships with reputable international universities. Since taking office, the Government has invested heavily in upgrading Police and fire stations across the country.
In fact, construction is moving apace on the $614 million Fire Station Headquarters at Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.
A modern 11-storey structure will be constructed as the new Brickdam Police Station following the fire which destroyed the century-old building last year. In December 2021, the Government launched the country’s first-ever Sports Academy.
Only recently, over $280 million was invested to improve GPF infrastructure in Regions Two and Three as the Government of Guyana continues to fulfil its mandate to modernise the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
These include two new Police stations and two Police outposts. The Police stations commissioned were at Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), and Anna Regina in Region Two while the outposts were at Lima Sands and Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast.
Parika Police Station was remodelled at a sum of $60 million. It was designed to be public-friendly and will house a domestic violence room, juvenile-friendly holding area, child-friendly area, witness protection room, a case management room, a case management system, an integrated crime information system, and offices.
The second spanking new multipurpose building was commissioned at the Anna Region Police Station. This facility was constructed to the tune of $215.1 million and will serve as the Regional Division Number Two Headquarters.
Last weekend, four multimillion-dollar Police Stations were commissioned in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). This saw another $299 million being pumped into the security sector.
These projects are part of a $3 billion Citizen Security Strengthening Programme which is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). To date, 14 Police stations were completed and seven are under construction.
The completed Police stations include Port Kaituma and Mabaruma in Region One; Aurora and Suddie in Region Two; La Grange and Parika in Region Three; Cane Grove in Region Four; Mibicuri in Region Six; Issano in Region Seven; Annai and Aishalton in Region Nine and McKenzie, Wismar and Kwakwani in Region 10.