Home News After being closed for 11 years: Mara Police Station refurbished as Private...
After being closed for 11 years, the Mara Police Station situated on the East Bank of Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was on Wednesday re-opened.
The station, which will benefit some 15,000 persons, was re-opened after five weeks of works to refurbish the old structure.
The Mara Police Station, situated 25 miles from New Amsterdam on the East Bank of Berbice, is 15 miles away from the next Police Station at Sisters.
Some $2.3 million in materials which came from the Private Sector was used on the building while about 90 per cent of the labour was provided by the Guyana Police Force.
The roof, windows and all doors had to be replaced. Work was also done on the compound, including the construction of a shed and the installation of a solar system. The refurbishing also saw the entire building being repainted.
New sanitary facilities were also installed and the entire building was rewired.
The building also houses living quarters and a kitchen.
Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud, speaking at the recommissioning of the building, said it had been closed since 2011.
“During that time the community had depleted and there were hardly reports of crime, the Station was infested with bats and there’s many other things that would have caused the closure of the Mara Police Station. However, with an oil find in Guyana and a booming economy and with the development that is currently taking place in our country including the development of the road from New Amsterdam to Fern becoming an all-weather road, a lot of persons who would have migrated from Mara are now moving back to Mara,” the Commander explained.
He said he had wanted to see the Mara Station reopened before he went on pre-retirement leave. He proceeds on leave this week and retires on January 1, 2023.
According to the Commander, since last year there has been an increase in reports of domestic violence, the use of illegal drugs and other crimes as a result of alcohol consumption.
Meanwhile, Region Six Chairman David Armogan, in giving the feature address at the recommissioning ceremony, noted that a police station was not the only thing coming to the residents of the Upper East Bank Berbice.
“We are also not only looking at security and safety, we are also looking at the health of people and so we are putting into the budget for early next year a health post, which is going to be situated just across on the next lot over there so that persons living in this community can have access to health facilities in this area,” he said to thunderous applause from the residents who were in attendance.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner in charge of operations, Ravindradat Budhram promised to have a new vehicle delivered to the station today. He is also making arrangements for Internet access at the station.
There are no phone lines along the Upper East Bank Berbice.
Budhram praised the collaborative effort between the Police, the residents of Mara, and members of the Private Sector, who were instrumental in the resuscitation of the station. (G4)
