COURDEL JONES – GIS

28 AUGUST 2021

─ Deputy Commissioner (ag) Hicken

In an effort to improve the relationship between the citizenry and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Deputy Commissioner, Operations (ag), Clifton Hicken says the force is working with a five-point strategic plan.

One of the points focuses on building partnerships with civil society to create safer communities countrywide. The senior officer said this is an ongoing effort. Under the initiative, over 100 hampers were distributed on Saturday to the Riverview community, just aback the Ruimveldt Police Station.

“A part of the partnership is for us to create an atmosphere where members of the public, members of the corporate sector and civil society generally come on board with the police to develop initiatives to create a safer environment and community.”   

He pointed out that similar exercises were conducted in Albouystown, Tiger Bay, Caneville and Samatta Point.  The hampers were donated by Food for The Poor Inc., Hopkinson Security Service and Home Safe Security Service.

Mr. Hicken initiated similar outreaches to various communities while he was commander of ‘A’ division. Now that he has ascended to Deputy Commissioner, he is assuring the public that those initiatives will form part of a structural arrangement throughout the regions.

“Building the bridge with the community is very very important to us and so we can win back the trust of the public. So yes, this is very important to the Guyana Police Force in terms of capacity building with the public and professionalism and it’s a part of our strategic plan so it mandatory.”

Mr. Hicken said once an assessment is done of identified communities by the commanders and sub-divisional commanders, a system will be put in place so that unemployed persons will have an opportunity to gain employment with private sector companies, that are on board with the initiative.  

DPI also spoke with Harold Hopkinson, the owner of Hopkinson Security Service, who highlighted the importance of law enforcement officers having good relations with the communities they police. He noted that the private sector has a role to play in helping communities to be safer and productive.

“It is very important for the community to see that the Guyana Police Force and the private sector are not always taking but we can also give. We have been giving and giving and this will not be the last we are going to continue giving.”

Mr. Hopkinson also noted that persons should be able to gain employment through these community outreaches.

“I don’t care where people are from, as long as they are between the ages of 24 and 55, honest and drug free people, they got a job. We are probably the highest paying persons in security, the average take home pay is 140,000 per month.”

Additionally, Mr. Hicken said the police presence in communities is aimed at helping citizens to see the police as allies.

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“I will spend every ounce of my energy in effort to unite Guyana” -Pres. Ali

KEMOL KING GIS 29 August 2021

His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali says he will spend every ounce of his energy to unite Guyana.

The President affirmed this during a ceremony held Sunday to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada at the Hare Krishna Study Centre, Cummings Lodge.

“I can tell you today that I will spend every ounce of my energy in leading the effort to unite this country. But all of us in this room, all of us across this country must also commit to spending every ounce of our energy to achieve the same outcome.”

During his address, Dr. Ali drew inspiration from the late Prabhupada. He was an Indian guru who founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York City in 1966, a little over a decade before his passing.

The Hare Krishna Study Centre serves as the ISKCON Guyana chapter. Devotees to Prabhupada’s teachings often espouse the need for unity in diversity.

Dr. Ali said the effort to unite Guyana has to be a collective one, explaining that the Constitution sets out the guiding principles for Guyanese to abide by to achieve national unity.

“Every Guyanese citizen must first of all fundamentally understand that we must govern ourselves by certain principles and values that make up the society. That is the first thing.

We must all subscribe to freedom. We must all subscribe to fundamental rights. We must all subscribe to democracy. We must all subscribe to the rule of law. We must all subscribe to equitable treatment. We must all subscribe to fair opportunity in our country.”

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, also honoured Srila Prabhupada. He said the guru has been one of the most outstanding human beings of the last century, and congratulated the chapter in Guyana which has sustained his traditions.

The Attorney General also re-affirmed the PPP/C Government’s commitment to working for national unity. He found it notable that the Hare Krishna Study Centre is accepting of persons of all faiths. He reminded that in some parts of the world, wars are still being fought and people are still dying for basic freedoms, such as the right to worship.

“In Guyana, we have religious freedom guaranteed by our Constitution as a fundamental right, and we must not take that freedom for granted.

“We have that in Guyana and we must cherish that. When one right is threatened, the rights of all are threatened.

“We just came out of a very important period in our history, where our rights were being threatened,” the AG said, referring to the protracted 2020 electoral saga.

“Fortunately, we were able to prevail,” he said.

Other Speakers espoused the principle of mutual respect between all Guyanese, and wished the President strength and good will as he seeks to unite the country. These included the Study Centre’s Temple President, His Grace Prabhupadadeva Dasa; Chairman of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), Reverend Dr. Ronald McGarrell; Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohamed PhD; Chief Executive Officer of Demerara Bank Ltd., Pravinchandra Dave; and Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa.

Former President, Mr. Donald Ramotar along with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr.; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar; and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy also attended the ceremony.