GPF conducts site visits in Regions 1, 2 & 9 to establish new Zara centres

Deputy Commissioner of Administration (acting) Calvin Brutus and a Police delegation on Saturday made site visits to several divisional headquarters in an effort to find a suitable plot of land or building to house a Zara Computer Training Centre and a Skills Training Centre.
The team conducted inspections at Mabaruma in Region One (Barima-Waini), Charity in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), and Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
Brutus and his team were also slated to conduct a similar visit to Mahdia in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) but were unable to do so due to time constraints and a very tight schedule given the distance that had to be travelled.

“Our visit here…even though short, is a significant one in that we are planning to do multiple things at one visit in a short time. In fact, we can refer to this visit as more of a reconnaissance mission because between now and August, myself and the Commissioner will be back here to spend a day meeting with the officials and meeting with the youths and addressing other security matters,” Brutus told scores of persons at a meeting in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in Mabaruma.
Brutus further told the meeting that the Police Force wishes to accelerate its collaboration with all stakeholders in society, to provide security to help develop the nation and to encourage investors based on Guyana’s security landscape to be willing to come and invest in the country, which brings with it the obvious spin-off benefits such as employment, further development, and the injection of foreign direct investment – cash and other resources.
As the premier law enforcement agency in Guyana, Brutus said the Police Force is setting out boldly to achieve this level of collaboration and partnership with stakeholders in society.
“[Our] visit is premised on (finding) a location for the Zara Computer Training Centre and a Skills Training Centre. We’re trying to do both in one building, as we’re doing in other parts of the country. We are trying to put the computer centre at the top and use the bottom area of the building to train youths and other members of the community, whether they are school dropouts, or single mothers/parents,” Brutus explained.
He noted that the skills training programmes in the various regions will be centrally managed by the newly-established Community Relations Department headed by Woman Superintendent Crystal Robinson. Some of the skills training will be done in areas such as cosmetology, barbering, welding, and masonry.
Brutus said after persons would have completed the skills training, “if they wish to go off on their own then we (Police Force) can assist them through partnership arrangements”.
He alluded to the fact that some persons are already undergoing skills training and have indicated that they will be “going off and branching out on their own” after completion.
Out of the batch currently in training, some have decided to team up and open a business that does cosmetology and barbering, Brutus explained. “We have already secured the equipment for them where, upon graduation, we will provide the kit to them and then link them to IPED and other agencies and persons for small loans to assist them if they are renting somewhere, to start in getting their business up and running,” he posited.
Underscoring the importance of establishing the Zara Computer Training Centres across Guyana, Brutus said these facilities will offer computer studies and PC repairs.
“We are in contact with our overseas partners to have the centres Microsoft certified so we can issue certificates in the future,” he posited.
Brutus also noted that, through partnerships, the Force will be offering five subjects (Mathematics, English, EDPM, Principles of Accounts and Integrated Science), free of cost, as well as lessons and assistance to do School-Based Assessments (SBAs), and more.
Among those accompanying Brutus during his inspection visits were GPF Community Relations Department Head, GPF IT Department Head Jermaine Johnson, GPF Construction Department Head ASP Mahendra Singh, and the Coordinator of Guyana Police Force Zara Computer Centres, Sergeant Gladwin Hanover.