| Public safety, security strategy near critical but necessary phase |  |  |  |
| Written by Michel Outridge |
| Monday, 31 December 2012 22:45 |
HOME Affairs Minister Clement Rohee yesterday said that the government’s Public Safety and Security Strategy is now on the cusp of a critical but necessary phase. backward step for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and the security sector as a whole.  Minister Clement Rohee Opposition Leader David Granger is on record as stating thus: “We are not concerned with one single incident; we’re concerned with a pattern of behaviour over a six-year period.” Granger is also on record as stating:“No one on either side of the House believes that public security is in good hands. This is the ultimate principle.” Rohee said that the APNU/PNC documents show two things: (1) the inconsistency of the opposition with respect to the periodization of the crime situation in Guyana; and (2) the constant shifting of the goal posts from the specific to the general, in order to regain lost ground and maintain as current events that have been subjected to due process within the criminal justice system. Rohee noted that the opposition’s claim that the security sector, and by implication public safety and security, has been jeopardized is baseless, without foundation, and cannot be justified by the facts. He added that the MoHA/Guyana Police Force documents provide statistical data and exposes the inconsistencies and false, propagandistic claims with regard to the period 2006 to 2012. The minister noted that the number of fatal accidents that occurred during the six-year period from 2007 to 2012 was reduced by 25% when compared with the period 2001 to 2006, when a total of 901 road fatalities were recorded by the Guyana Police Force. Also, for the period 2007 to 2012, 673 fatal accidents were recorded. He said that 1007 persons lost there lives between the years 2001 to 2006, while 775 persons lost their lives during the years 2006 to 2012, reflecting a 23% reduction. If the totals of all categories of road accidents are compared between the two aforementioned periods, a 26% reduction in the number of reports during the latter six-year period would be evident, he said. Rohee noted that during the years 2001 to 2006, 15,400 traffic accidents of all categories were recorded, while, between 2007 and 2012, 11,395 road accidents were recorded by the Guyana Police Force, representing a 26% reduction in reports during the years 2007 – 2012. He said, “This is an indication that the Guyana Police Force has been more effective in managing traffic during the period 2006 to 2012, and there has been more deliberate collaboration between citizens and institutional efforts, and collaboration to reduce accidents on our roads.” However, a comparative glance at the total reports of serious crimes committed in Guyana for the cluster of years 2000 to 2005 and 2006 to 2012 indicates the reports for the years 2006 to 2012 were reduced by 7%. He explained that, for the years 2000 to 2005, 28,471 reports of serious crimes were recorded by the Guyana Police Force; but for the years 2006 to 2012, the total reports were 26,467. While there may have been fluctuations in the number of reports of specific categories of crime during both periods, the fact remains that the latter period up to December 24, 2012 recorded a 7% reduction in reports. The minister revealed that, during the period 1999 to 2005, the police were involved in 129 fatal shootings, and 47 firearms of varying calibre were recovered. He pointed out that during the period 2006 to 2012, the police were involved in 87 fatal shootings and 53 firearms were recovered. These figures indicate that the number of fatal shootings by the police has been reduced during the latter period (2005 to 2012 and more firearms have been recovered. Moreover, these claims made inside and outside of Parliament are fundamentally political, spurious and false in essence. Further, they are historical and vindictive, and have absolutely nothing to do with either “a pattern of behaviour”, or whether “public security is in good hands”, Rohee said. “Were the opposition to move away from the narrow, myopic approach in viewing developments in the security sector, they would obviously see the holistic, well thought-out and carefully executed new dispensation prevailing in the sector. “One characteristic feature of this new dispensation is the involvement of the private sector and other non-governmental stakeholders in the process of institutional strengthening and capacity-building of the institutions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. “Never in the history of our country, and this sector in particular, has there been such productive involvement of non-governmental stakeholders in assisting to build greater confidence in and support for the security sector.” The minister told the press conference that another valuable feature of this new dispensation is the solid support and cooperation given by the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Prison Service, and the Guyana Fire Service to every single measure collectively agreed upon. “The announcements that follow are all supported by the agencies to which they have relevance. “This new phase which we are about to embark on will be characterized by the following: Changes will be brought about with the implementation of a strategic plan for the Guyana Police Force (2013 to 2017). The Strategic Plan will see establishment of a Strategic Management Department, which will have oversight for the strategic plan’s implementation. The employment of ten (10) high-level civilian professionals in non-line positions within the Guyana Police Force will ensure a high degree of professional, technical and efficiency inputs to guarantee implementation of the Plan. “The Strategic Plan was drawn up by the UK-based Capita Symonds Consultancy in 2010, while the Implementation Plan was drawn up and commenced by the U.S.-based Julian Laite Consultancy in February, 2012. “Marked adjustments to the Internal Management Structure within the Guyana Police Force are envisaged.” Rohee stated that monthly consultations between the Ministry of Home Affairs and a Guyana Police Force Change Team, established since 2006 under the Citizen’s Security Programme to ensure implementation of the Institutional Modernization of the Guyana Police Force, have finally brought the transformative process at the Guyana Police Force to this critical stage. Implementation of the GPF Strategic Plan will cost approximately G$35M annually, he said. Side by side with the implementation of the Strategic Plan, the UK-based Capita-Symonds Consultancy will be contracted to focus on four specific but critical areas of the Guyana Police Force. These include; Administration: Aimed at strengthening the administration of the Guyana Police Force with particular reference to standards for recruitment and retention of staff; Succession Planning: Develop a sustainable approach to succession planning with particular reference to career planning and retention of Cadet Officers. Integrity/Probity (Professionalization): Aimed at improving the Professionalism of the Force through strengthening its accountability and instigating a more rigorous approach to development of integrity; Public Relations &Communications: Aimed at developing a sustainable approach to public relations/communications with particular reference to a modern and responsive approach to dealing with the media and other internal and external stakeholders. Implementation of these four (4) key areas may see the involvement of IPOs as Consultants. However; the contractual agreement in the main will see the procurement of highly qualified specialists. The first phase of this Consultancy will last for a period four of (4) to six (6) weeks, beginning in January 2013; and will cost approximately US$129,750.00, or approximately G$25M. Rohee noted that the Ministry of Home Affairs is committed to ensuring that the Strategic and Implementation Plan, as well as the specifically targeted Capita-Symonds Consultancy, will be fully implemented within the agreed time frames. “The Ministry is pleased to note that the current leadership of the Guyana Police Force is on board, and supports fully these initiatives.” He pointed out that the ministry wishes to add that efforts to civilianize mutually agreed clerical positions within the GPF have already begun with the employment of sixty (60) data entry clerks to input data generated by the Integrated Crime Information System (ICIS) facilities at forty-two (42) Police Stations at “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “E and F” Divisions. In addition, a qualified civilian/professional has been recruited to the post of Policy Analyst at Force Headquarters. Moreover, Cabinet, at its meeting held in November 14, 2012, agreed to effect a name change from Guyana Police Force (GPF) to Guyana Police Service (GPS), he stated. The minister added that the legal and other adjustments inherent in this change are profound and far-reaching, and will result in a number of institutional and operational adjustments to the Guyana Police Force. In preparation for the 2013 budget, the Ministry of Home Affairs has submitted a radically different draft budget to the Ministry of Finance for its consideration. The Ministry of Home Affairs has recommended severe adjustments, particularly in the area of training in the allocation for the Guyana Police Force in the Ministry of Home Affairs 2013 Budget proposal. This adjustment will see significant increases in this area, which must now be given greater attention, Rohee stated. He added that, whereas in the past, only five percent of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ budgetary provision was allocated for local training, for 2013 more than thirty (30%) percent of the budgetary provision will be utilized for training, both locally and overseas. The Ministry of Home Affairs, in consultation with the senior management of the Guyana Police Force, has agreed that for the year 2013, ranks from the level of constable to assistant commissioner will be sent abroad for overseas training. This is to be made mandatory, he said. Rohee explained that at the local level, with the recent approval by Cabinet of a policy on study leave for ranks in the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Fire Service, the way has now been cleared for ranks from these departments to pursue academic studies at the University of Guyana and other institutions of higher learning at home and abroad, without losing any benefits and entitlements. The minister said that work with respect to the completion of the state-of-the-art Forensic Laboratory is moving apace. The hiring of a Barbadian consultant to oversee all works for the completion of the Laboratory by April, 2013 is a clear indication of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ interest in ensuring that the best and most affordable equipment and human resources are in place to operationalise the laboratory. A draft Strategic Plan for the Forensic Laboratory has been formulated, and is now being studied by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Plan will address the administration and management of the Lab, which will come under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Issues pertaining to staffing, the composition and establishment a Board, the clientele for the laboratory, among other critical issues, are currently under consideration. Agreement has been reached with the Commissioner of Police to have Police Division “E” & “F” delinked and to form two separate and distinct divisions. This means that there will now be seven Police Divisions, namely ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘F’ and ‘G’. “The Commissioner of Police has assured me that these two divisions will be headed by two experienced senior police ranks at the senior superintendent level,” he pointed out. “Further, the Commissioner of Police has assured that adequate support staff, equipment as well as land and water transport will be made available to service the two divisions, to ensure their smooth and effective functioning. In this regard, “E” Divisional Headquarters is to be located at Linden, while, for logistical and other reasons, “F” Divisional Headquarters will be located at Force Headquarters,” Rohee said. Continuing with the impending changes on the public safety and security horizon, the minister said the Ministry of Home Affairs will soon undergo internal administrative and institutional adjustments. These will be done in compliance with a (2012-2017) Strategic Plan for the Ministry of Home Affairs which was formulated by a local consultant and approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs. |