– Guyana reinforces commitment to world peace, global security – Hosts A3+ security council retreat
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (DPI) – The government will keep investing in digitisation to develop a more data-driven approach to fighting crime; this approach will help transform the Guyana Police Force (GPF) into a modern policing organisation, said president Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali addressing the annual Police Officers’ Conference Wednesday morning at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Eve-Leary.
The three-day conference is convened under the theme ‘Building a Resilient and Contemporary Police Force: Strengthening Accountability, Innovation and Partnership for Safer Communities.
Presiden Ali explained that the strategy will aid law enforcement in determining where crime occurs and where they are likely to occur. Technology and digital solutions must be the backbone of effective public security systems and policing. And that is why the government continues to make significant investments to transition the force into a modern agency using technology.
“This is important. We have to develop scientific approaches to crime fighting. Data, accumulation of data, analysis of data and quality of data are all important issues that we’re addressing to develop an effective crime-fighting mechanism,” the head of state said.
The government has been allocating significant resources to equip ranks in specialised areas, including digitisation and artificial intelligence (AI). Some 1,400 officers received specialised training in 2024, amounting to an investment of $250 million. An additional 1,700 ranks will be trained later this year.
The government is also partnering with the United States (US) government to establish world-class digitised scanners at all ports of entry to enhance the country’s immigration services. This will remove the burden on human capacity and remove biases.
“This is the type of investment we are making to ensure that our human capability, our human capacity, and our human asset are not only given the capital tools to help them but they’re given the intellectual capabilities.
They’re given the analytical capability, and their individual and collective skill set is being developed to meet the challenges and to work in the new environment, in which, they’re expected to operate,” president Ali expressed.
President Ali noted that implementing technology and digital systems will help monitor and assess performance to ensure accountability. By identifying ‘who erred or did not fulfill their duties,’ traceability will promote accountability within the force. With $2 billion earmarked to procure an additional fleet of vehicles for the police force, a tracking system will be implemented using GPS mapping and tracking to monitor the vehicles’ movements.
The Guyanese leader explained that the tracking system aims to ensure accountability.
If a public call for assistance is made and available vehicles do not respond, the system will provide data on where those vehicles were and what they were doing.
“This is the type of investment we are making, putting the technology in the asset, because people must be held accountable for their actions. We cannot invest and do not have that level of accountability to support investment in giving us the best possible results,” the president stated.
As part of advancing the government’s digitisation drive, around 400 intelligence video camera systems have been established countrywide through the Safe Country initiative. A further 320 systems will be established this year.
Meanwhile, Guyana has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen Caribbean-African unity during its first hosting of the annual Retreat of the African Member States Plus (A3 Plus) in the United Nations Security Council.
The event opened Wednesday morning at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre in Kingston, Georgetown, and serves as a crucial platform for deepening collaboration between African and Caribbean nations within the Security Council while amplifying Africa’s voice in global decision-making.
Several prominent African Union representatives, UN Security Council members, and key diplomats are participating in the event.
By hosting the retreat, Guyana has further solidified its role as an emerging influence in international affairs and global security.
Minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation Hugh Todd acknowledged the group’s standing accomplishments and commended its active role in bolstering the capacity of the UN Security Council.
Through strategic discussions, the A3 Plus continues to strengthen coordination and advance the interests of both Africa and the Caribbean.
Minister Todd called for a continuation of these efforts in the pursuit of global peace and stability, he asserted:
“Our commitment to multilateralism must and should be unwavering. We must continue to commit to the UN Charter. That commitment brings respect, stability and predictability in not only how we operate at the level of the United Nations Security Council, but how we conduct our foreign policy in our capitals.”
Minister Todd continued “Everything that we do on the level of the Security Council, which is the highest decision-making body, should be done in the best interest of humanity.”
The A3+ has already made notable strides in their pursuits by acting as an authoritative voice in various critical matters including the developments in Sudan and Libya.
In the following days, the delegates will further engage in robust dialogues on a range of critical issues regarding peaceful and sustainable development.
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