Twenty-five officers from the Ministry of Natural Resources graduated from a Ranger training course on Thursday at the Guyana Police Officers’ Training Centre. The five-week training programme was a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Public Security, the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, National Parks Commission and the Wildlife Agency.
The training course which commenced on August 14, 2017, saw officers instructed in 25 topics. Some of the areas covered were intelligence gathering, care, and custody of prisoners, use of force, ethics in law enforcement and occupational health and safety.
Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman delivering the feature address said the programme was a direct request made by President David Granger. The Minister noted that the pre-eminence of the wardens is to protect, preserve and conserve Guyana’s Natural resources whilst ensuring that others do the same.
Quoting from a document which was discussed at Cabinet last year, Minister Trotman stated that “good governance of the Natural resources sector requires the support of a robust compliant law enforcement arm empowered with authority to operate throughout the natural resources sector. The Corps of Wardens is presented as the needed enforcement, compliance and enforcement arm”.
According to the Minister, the responsibilities of the officers will range from intercepting illicit trade and movement of wild animals to assisting in the rescue and recovery of victims who have been trafficked.
Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine making brief remarks told the wardens that they will be expected to conduct their duties in a professional and humble manner. “Professionalism is increasingly demanded; professionalism is increasingly required of all, not only those in the military and paramilitary but each and everyone who has taken some oath or the other to serve the people of Guyana”, Ramnarine stated.
He told the wardens that with the training received, they are now equipped to be beacons to others who will follow. “Not only are you equipped, not only are you empowered but I urge you not to become powerful.”
The next batch of wardens will commence training in 2018. Also attending the graduation ceremony was Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, Assistant Commissioner and Acting Crime Chief Paul Williams, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken.
