Guyana’s expanding ‘Safe Country’ initiative continues to deliver significant results in the fight against crime, helping police identify suspects, gather evidence and move investigations forward more efficiently.
Speaking on the ‘Starting Point’ Podcast during Sunday’s broadcast, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond said approximately 800 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras had been installed specifically as part of the Safe Country initiative over the past five years, with coverage extending to most regions.
“We have seen tremendous results, positive results from the cameras,” the minister stated.
According to her, the footage captured by the cameras is proving useful to investigators, providing visual evidence that can help establish what occurred during an incident and identify persons involved.
She pointed to footage of an attack on a young woman, allegedly involving a Ministry of Home Affairs employee, as an example of how cameras could provide evidence for investigations.
Speaking from experience as a former magistrate, the minister stated that cases previously depended heavily on eyewitness accounts and could involve lengthy trials.
“People can feel a sense of satisfaction that they don’t have to languish and wait for years for their matters to be resolved.”
Facial recognition technology is also being used to help track people of interest and identify locations where they might be sheltered.
“We have more cameras being deployed, more training for police officers in terms of intelligence-led crime fighting, as opposed to just trying to solve a crime after it happens,” Minister Walrond emphasised.