The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has partnered with the Zara Group of Companies to provide free recognised computer literacy training for Police ranks and vulnerable persons in Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
The centre was officially commissioned on Saturday last at the Wismar Police Station.
The Zara Computer Centre in Linden
With the Guyana Police Force on the move to enhance its operations across the country, Chief Training Officer Keithon King said he has been waiting in anticipation for the ZARA Computer training programme to be introduced in Regional Division 10.
“When they were setting up that centre in Essequibo, it was our classroom, so we had to get a plan B. At the time, myself and staff, and stakeholders, converted the bottom flat of that building to a classroom to accommodate the Zara Centre which had a stipulated time to finish so that training could commence. Sergeant Handover, who did his initial training at that college, capitalised on the training and the learning opportunities. Today, he’s now the coordinator for all the Zara Centres within the Police environment,” King said.
The interior of the computer centre
As the Force’s Training Officer, King said he is optimistic that the Linden Computer Centre will be fully utilised by Police ranks and residents of the region. He added that emphasis must be placed on the development of children.
“I am optimistic that this centre, I’m speaking about the Linden centre, will be fully utilised as it relates to training, not only for policemen and women but for members of the community where emphasis must be placed on the development of our children,” King noted.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Calvin Brutus said the idea to have a computer centre at Wismar was born under the Force’s strategic plan to foster partnership.
“We understand that in order to harness our youths and have them engaged in positive activities is to seek out every means possible at our disposal to do so. The computer centre is one of our primary tools to help develop our youths and keep them focused on positive activities and away from crime and social disobedience,” Brutus said in brief remarks.
He said the Force relies on NGOs to help in whatever way they can to foster development. With the launch of IT training programmes some years ago, the Zara Group of Companies has trained thousands of young people.
The company was established 39 years ago by a Guyanese family mainly involved in real estate. To date, the company has collaborated with several agencies including the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) and the Guyana Police Force, to provide training programmes countrywide.
