Internet connection, suicide, language barrier among challenges in Region 1 – Commander

Commander of Region One (Barima-Waini), Police Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud, has said that Police ranks are faced with many challenges, which include poor internet connection, suicide, and language barrier, among other issues.
The Commander made this disclosure during the GPF’s programme “Police and You” on Tuesday evening, when he said that, as of recent, the Police have been getting some improvement with the internet connection. However, when it rains, the internet service is down, which makes communicating difficult.
Speaking of other challenges, he said ranks are unable to report crimes in certain areas in the division due to the terrain, which makes it difficult for them to communicate. He said this is one of the biggest challenges they are faced with, since communication is vital for effective response.
“We do receive reports of crime in certain areas…first of all, for communication, when you have satellite phones you will get through easy, but it will be challenging because someone will have to ride to certain distance before they can get some signal, and then they get on to the Police…,” he said.

Commander Persaud further voiced that transportation to get the Police to various areas in the Region is also a challenge for his ranks. He added that, compared to urban areas, ranks in his division are unable to calculate their response time to crime.
“To get to certain backdams, you have to use ATVs, and in certain places, you have to walk. You can go with the four-wheel vehicle to a certain point, and then you will have to continue with the ATV, and then by foot; so, sometimes the response time is a bit challenging”.
Language barrier is also a major challenge in this district, according to the Commander. He said that in certain areas in Region One, the literacy level is very low, so communicating with residents can sometimes pose a challenge.
“Certain important messages that (we) would want to send out is very difficult…for instance Baramita, they have the largest Carib settlement, and some of the residents there only speak the Carib language, and the attendance at school and those things are very low”, the Commander explained.
He said the Region is currently battling a high suicide rate, and the Police are trying their best to curb this situation.
“Within six weeks, we had six reports of suicide in Baramita…to get to some of those backdams, or to transport the body of the victim, it was challenging, because you had to go through trails and you had to get the body out to Baramita to get certified by the medical personnel, then you have to travel to Port Kaituma so that the body can be post mortem there,” he explained.
Commander Persaud posited that these issues are out of his control due to the remoteness of the areas. (G9)