Law enforcement receive boost to combat identity theft, document fraud

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Guyana Police Force was presented with 200 fraudulent document detection kits on Friday (February 7) while several persons from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Border security and Registry Officials underwent a rigorous four day training all in  a bid to build the capacity of local law enforcement to combat identity theft and document fraud.

The project which is funded by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives is expected to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to detect identity theft and document fraud thereby enhancing Guyana border security.

Those graduating now have both the theoretical and practical tools to intercept criminal attempting to enter Guyana fraudulently and disrupt fraudulent document generation (persons or agencies) in Guyana.

According to Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Dr. Nicole Giles; fraudulent identity documents poses a threat to national borders and national security around world, from which Guyana is not exempt.

She said that the fight against it cannot be faced in isolation and was particularly pleased to partner with Guyana in this regard.

Dr. Giles explained that the real value of the project goes beyond the donation of the kits and the training to the inception of criminal activities and fraudulent document generation.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Clemet Rohee said “developing countries such as ours is always pleased to be a part of any program aimed at tackling transnational organized crime.”

He explained that the production of fraudulent document is done to achieve a multiplicity of objectives but implored that whatever objective there may be, local law enforcement must be part of international cooperation efforts aimed at combatting the scourge in whatever manifestation it may come.

He said to do this requires the institution to have technical and human resource to be engaged, and went on to further state that this is exactly what the project has done.

“This training must be seen in context to Guyana’s fight against transnational organized crime and building capacity and strengthen institution of the Guyana Police Force.”

He implored those present to be more alert since he believes criminals will always seek to produce fraudulent documents to beat the fight against it. “The techniques for producing these documents are becoming more modern so must those in battle become sophisticated.”

Rohee said there have been many cases where persons sought to enter Guyana with fraudulent documents and boasted of the fact that local law enforcement was able to arrest, detain and prosecute those persons.

He said the building of capacity through this training must also be seen as part of modernizing the Force.