With the development of new housing areas across the country, there is a focused approach to creating and maintaining safe communities.
And, as such, a new police outpost was on Monday officially commissioned at Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown; this community is currently seeing the development of a new housing scheme.
The police outpost was constructed by the Ministry of Housing and Water to the tune of $7 million and was officially handed over to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The building was structurally and strategically placed at Cummings Lodge because of the ongoing development, Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken said during brief remarks.
“And, so as development is taking place in the country, so we are placing our police men and women strategically to mitigate against crime and violence,” the Top Cop related.
He further explained that the Force continues to modernise its infrastructure to create a comfortable environment for ranks which will improve service delivery to members of the public.
The Police Force will provide transportation and place ranks at the new outpost; the outpost will l also receive support from the Sophia Police Station when needed.
Regional Commander Senior Superintendent Simon McBean is now tasked with the establishment of a Station Management Committee to ensure the building and transportation are managed properly.
“We will have constant inspections done, so that the vehicle allocated here will last for the period intended to,” Hicken said.
Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal, during remarks, said it is equally important that the necessary services, facilities and amenities within those neighbourhoods are developed as the government continue to build new communities.
Already 117 houses have been handed over in the new developing Cummings Lodge housing scheme.
“In this area under construction of the houses, we have already invested over $1 billion dollars.
“The master plan will, therefore, see us by the end of this year, completing over 300 houses to the investment of a tune of about $2.3 billion here in Cummings Lodge,” Minister Croal said.
The housing development at Cummings Lodge will extend to Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara where an interlink road will also be constructed.
“…and then you take into consideration what is going to be happening at Eccles, where you will have a medical zone and in between you also have commercial activities. We will see occupancy in Cummings Lodge with over 1,100 lots catered for,” the Housing Minister stated.
He urged residents to work with and establish their own security mechanism such as a community policing group.
Another police outpost constructed by the Ministry of Housing is also set to be handed over soon. This outpost is located along the new Mocha to Great Diamond access road.
Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn said while he is pleased with the new outpost at Cummings Lodge, he wishes for a more “welcoming” atmosphere.
“I’d be happy if they plant flowers around here. I’d be happy if there’s a place where people could sit down and be happy if there’s a washroom which the public can have access to.”
With plans to rebrand and restructure the Police Force, Minister Benn said this can be achieved with Hicken at the helm.
“We want to have safer communities, we want to have a safer Guyana,” Minister Benn said while noting that road fatalities reduced by 30 per cent and serious crime by 20 per cent in 2021.
