President Dr Irfaan Ali today announced that speed cameras will be positioned along the new Mandela Avenue, Georgetown to Diamond, East Bank Demerara Highway – a project which is expected to be replicated countrywide.
The Head of State made the announcement as he was addressing the annual Police Christmas Breakfast at the Police Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary. He was at the time speaking about the importance of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) understanding government’s developmental agenda, noting that policing strategies must be keeping with the administration’s developmental thrust.
The President made reference to the new highway being constructed from Mandela to Eccles then Eccles to Diamond, which, he noted, will be equipped with “technological features” that will help policing.
These include containerized outposts and speed cameras. A speed camera is a camera positioned at the side of a road which automatically photographs vehicles that are going faster than is allowed. The photographs can be used as evidence in a court of law.
“Speeding cameras that will not only be telling us speed but will also be showing us who’s wearing seatbelts and not wearing seatbelts…it will give us advanced information, you’d be able to type in a particular vehicle number and type that you’re looking for and the system through the cameras, will give you detection…and this is a pilot, this will be taken all across the country,” President Ali said.
Meanwhile, President Ali also outlined the importance of the force in nation-building. “You are my greatest asset and ally in building this ‘One Guyana’. And we will do it. I want to assure all of you that it will come and it will come very soon.”
The lawmen were described as having attitudes and value systems that are patriotic and nationalistic.
The President said that eventually the people of Guyana will triumph above all obstacles and barriers and will join together as ‘One Guyana’ “where all of our people will be the brothers and sisters of each other” and move forward in harmony.
Additionally, the Head of State noted that his government would continue to equip the force with the necessary vehicles to execute their duties. He said that building on the Government’s supply of 50 new vehicles, 65 bikes and other assets to the Force, a supplementary provision has been set aside for 50 more vehicles.
A commitment was also given to replace the engines on more than 20 vehicles, which are out of service, to get them back into working condition.
“There are some areas that we have to tweak. And we have to be bold in our decision making. We have to take a strategic look at our organisational structure or operational structure and come up with the best-suited model for a modern Guyana. That is why you are seeing legislative changes. We’re looking at a national drone programme”.
The President said that drones have already been deployed in the Force’s crime-fighting strategies in the city and there are also plans to utilise them on the country’s waterways as the first line of defence.
