Linden gets new fire station and command operations centre

…as modern $125M police station commissioned at Timehri

Public safety and security in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) has been bolstered with the two new modern and state-of-the-art facilities – an investment of nearly $172 million.

Under the Government’s broader security sector upgrade programme, a newly constructed Command Operations Centre in Mackenzie, Linden, was constructed to the tune of $33.9 million.
The Command Operations Centre is a key component of the Safe City to Safe Country Expansion Project and will provide an eagle-eye view of Region 10 through advanced technology. The facility is designed to enhance crime-fighting efforts by enabling real-time surveillance, better incident monitoring, and faster operational response across the region.
On Wednesday, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn commissioned the centre. He was joined by Permanent Secretary Andre Ally, Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’ Errol Watts, Regional Division #10 Commander Assistant Commissioner Kurleigh Simon, Deputy Commander Superintendent Austin and other special invitees.
Benn reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to modernising law enforcement infrastructure, expanding surveillance capabilities, and equipping the Guyana Police Force with the tools required to build safer, stronger communities nationwide.
The Home Affairs Minister also commissioned a modern fire station at Wisroc, Linden, on Wednesday.
Aimed at improving emergency response services, the Wisroc Fire Station represents a major investment, to the tune of approximately $138 million, in enhancing firefighting capacity and safeguarding communities within Region 10.
This new facility forms a crucial part of the Government of Guyana’s ongoing security sector upgrade programme, designed to improve emergency readiness, disaster response, and public safety infrastructure across the country.
The Wisroc Fire Station will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to improve operational efficiency and personnel readiness. The design includes a waiting area and station officer’s office, subordinate officer’s office and sub-officer’s office, EMS office and storage room, IT room and finance office, administration office and training room, gym and laundry area, fire prevention officer’s office, conference room and control room, and senior and junior living quarters for on-site staff.
The establishment of the Wisroc Fire Station will significantly enhance emergency response capabilities in Linden and neighbouring communities. With improved infrastructure, advanced training facilities, and upgraded accommodations for officers, the Government aims to deliver faster, more efficient firefighting services while raising public safety awareness across Region 10.
Accompanying Minister Benn at this commissioning were Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dwayne Scotland, Divisional Officer ‘Operations’ Andrew Holder, Assistant Divisional Officer – EMS Clean Thom-Fernandes, Station Officer Mark Schmidt of the Linden Fire Station, Section Leader Kelwin Yaw, other ranks, and special invitees.
Prior to travelling to Region 10, Minister Benn earlier on Wednesday commissioned the newly constructed Timehri Police Station – a modern facility built at a cost of approximately $125 million. This project forms part of the Government’s ongoing security sector upgrade, aimed at strengthening public safety and improving the operational capacity of the Guyana Police Force.
In his address, Benn highlighted the critical role of infrastructure in improving policing services: “We will not develop the structure that we need if we don’t have better infrastructure, better police…” he said.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary Ally echoed this sentiment, urging all ranks to serve with dignity and pride while making full use of the upgraded facility. He acknowledged the serious crime challenges in the division, emphasised the importance of traffic management, and called on officers to maintain excellence in service.
The new Timehri Police Station is equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, including separate male, female, and juvenile lockups; a witness and ID parade room; an armoury and evidence room; a child-friendly area; a domestic violence interview space; specialised offices for CID, Traffic, and the Officer-in-Charge; as well as senior and junior living quarters.
Among the officials at the ceremony were Deputy Commissioner Watts, Regional Division 4B Commander Superintendent Wayne DeHearte, Deputy Commander Rovin Das, Deputy Superintendent Clifton Davis, Head of the Community Policing Group (CPG) Reshi Das, other senior ranks, CPG members, and special invitees.
According to the Home Affairs Ministry, the Wisroc Fire Station, alongside the newly commissioned Timehri Police Station and Region 10 Command Operations Centre, reflects the Government’s holistic approach to strengthening the security sector and building a safer, more resilient Guyana.