The Guyana Police Force could undergo major transformation with a proposal to move from Divisional

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

to Regional Commanders actively being considered.
Speaking to the Government Information Agency (GINA), Minister of Public Security and Vice President, Khemraj Ramjattan, cited the example of Division F.
The Commander of that Division is responsible for Regions One, Eight and Nine. According to Ramjattan, the changes being considered would see that Commander being responsible for only one Region.
“Each Region will have a Police Division. We’ll have a Commander for each of those Regions, which is going to be synchronized with Divisions,” Ramjattan explained. The exception, the Minister said, may be Region Four. He said this region is so large that it may need two Divisions.
“Though we have ten Regions, we’ll have eleven Police Divisions, Region 4 being divided into two Divisions. For example, when they go to Lethem, there would be a Commander in that Region to take care of all the problems security wise, in that Region,” Ramjattan explained.
He said, the Commander for the Regions would communicate with the Commissioner and Assistant Commissioners at Administration so as to get the assistance they need to execute the policies of the Government,” Ramjattan said.
According to the Minister, such a move would not necessarily result in more Assistant Commissioners as, Senior Superintendents or Superintendents could hold the position of Commander.
The Government is implementing several measures to ensure that the Guyana Police Force can better serve and protect citizens. These include more local and overseas training for ranks and having them better equipped so they can execute their duties. Police stations and other facilities are also being built or rehabilitated as part of the effort to improve conditions of service for ranks.
In an invited comment, a high ranking police officer welcomed the move.
He told this newspaper that while there is no problem with the present divisional command structure, the proposed changes is something that should be embraced.
“It’s a very good thing. The span of control is a key factor in this consideration,” the officer said.
He agreed that the police A Division is too large an area for one Commander, and suggested that the same consideration should be given to B Division (Berbice).