The Guyana Police Force on Thursday signed an important and historic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the University of Guyana (UG) to develop new and refine existing programmes that specifically cater for members of the Police Force. The MoA was signed during a simple ceremony held at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (ag.) with responsibility for ‘Administration’, Mr. Calvin Brutus and UG’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr. Paloma Mohamed signed the historic MoA which was finalised after much discussions and deliberations from both sides. The MoA underscores the Guyana Police Force’s continuous and unwavering support and show of commitment to the development of its ranks through education and training.
Mr. Brutus, in brief remarks, said the signing of the MoA this afternoon marks a very significant moment in our country’s history as it’s the first of its kind between the Guyana Police Force and the University of Guyana.
The MoA is scheduled to last for a period of five years, with the option of renewal.
According to Mr. Brutus, this MoA came about due to “the need for us to develop modules for our policemen and women, to ensure that we deliver on our mandate in keeping with contemporary best practices for the police in our country.”
He also alluded to our globally recognized and blossoming oil and gas industry, which has catapulted the need for us to have an educated and much better-equipped police force to meet the myriad challenges that will come along with rapid development, infrastructural expansion, influx of investors and new businesses. Brutus pointed out that the anticipated expansion of our population is expected to bring new challenges for the Guyana Police Force, thus the need to be prepared.
“We recognize that based on our recruitment policy there is that burning need not only for development at the tertiary levels but also at the lower levels because of the sound primary education requirement to enter the Guyana Police Force. This Memorandum of Agreement is intended to address the various levels and to develop our ranks from that sound primary education level in the shortest possible time…depending on their ability to learn, the university will deliver that knowledge to them up to the level that is required to meet our demands to provide security for our nation,” he posited.
The MoA caters for a range of programmes to be developed, with a few others to be refined. “Most will have to be developed and it entails a lot of work but we are certain that the University of Guyana possess capable resource personnel to do that in the shortest possible time and we have no doubt about this, hence our partnership today,” Mr. Brutus asserted.
Part of the MoA has to do with accreditation of the Police Training College. “Our college is just by name but the substance and the standard is not there. Our intention under this agreement is to ensure that we will be able to achieve this mandate which is to have our college accredited in the shortest possible time, as well as train our instructors to deliver the professional part of the programme,” he stated.
Brutus noted that all the programmes currently being done in a haphazard way will be fashioned into accredited programmes for the Guyana Police Force, “at the end of which our policemen and women who choose to leave us after they are developed will be able to go into the world and acquire respectable jobs with the qualification they would have earned within the organization.”
He said the Guyana Police Force has no issue with such ranks/officers leaving, providing that it is within their contractual obligations. He said the Police Force would also be proud to be a part of their development as Guyanese.
Mr. Brutus also extended, on behalf of the Guyana Police Force, appreciation to the University of Guyana, specifically the Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mohamed, for her patience and support during the discussions leading up to the signing of the MoA.
“We would also encourage other state institutions and even private institutions to partner with the University of Guyana. We know there are lots of complaints from many sections of society that persons are graduating but lack the requisite skill. However, the part that is missing is for them to partner with the university to allow students to have exposure to these different areas so, by the end of their graduation and studies in their respective discipline, they can have some level of practical experience by partnership and working with those companies out there, whether it be private or public institutions and I think that will go a long way with developing our human resources in this country as a whole,” Mr. Brutus posited.
Dr. Paloma Mohamed, in her remarks, expressed satisfaction with the arrangement since it comes in a wide national strategic context. According to her, this strategic context will allow for more transparency and a more service-oriented Police Force with diversified service across the country. She believes this MoA allows for a more focused and accelerate path for the reformation plan of the Guyana Police Force and the University is very happy to walk this path with the GPF.
Other aspects such as public perception survey of the Police Force, recruitment strategy from the force that will diversify against the different level of skills sets and a technologically driven force will be seen coming out from this MoA in the future.
“The Police Force is really taking on a very cutting edge, very focus, a very dynamic path despite all the challenges they have been having and we’re very happy to be working with the Police Force,” Dr. Mohamed said.
