Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, said there is a need for more diverse personnel to man the security sector.
He made the call recently while addressing Toshaos at the recent Regional Toshaos’ Meeting in Lethem, Region nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
Minister Benn said the security forces are opened to all Guyanese.
“We need a more diverse security force; we want and I want our security forces must look more like Guyana, that’s what I want, that’s what we want,” Minister Benn told the village leaders. He called on the Toshaos to encourage the youths in the villages to join the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Fire Service, Guyana Prison Service, Community Policing Groups and the soon to be established Border Patrol Security Force.“In too many cases our policemen, our security forces are not culturally adept, and they come out sometimes, and are, in too many cases perhaps not maliciously, but disdainful, not understanding the real issues, not having the requisite skills and appreciation for the communities which they come out to police, to provide whatever assistance they should provide.”To this end, the home affairs minister said local persons must be recruited into the security force.
“In too many cases the provision of the service is not empathetic enough, it’s not helpful enough, it brings greater problems, it brings resentment from the communities, and in many cases, it shows up that we don’t like each other, so that is a particular policing problem that we have and I want to clearly state that we want to see a significant change in relation to them,” Minister Benn noted.He explained that the police administration in Lethem will become twelve regional divisions with Region Four, dividing into 4A, 4B and 4C divisions. The command structures will be based in the main towns in the area.The Lethem fire station is also set to become operational, along with Mabaruma and Mahdia with emergency medical technicians.
