The Government is ramping up the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) high technology security camera system to support crime prevention efforts by the Joint Services by adding an additional 17 camera locations around the Country.
Areas that will benefit from this move include the highly congested Stabroek Market area, the Berbice River Bridge and the Lusignan Prisons.
The 17 new locations will bring the total number to 119.
Head of the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), Major (rtd) Floyd Levi, said this week that the programme is being ramped up under Safe City Solutions project being carried out in collaboration with the Chinese Government.
Levi said new CCTV systems are being installed at the Berbice River Bridge in Region Five and another at the Palmyra Junction on the Lower Corentyne.
Additional sites being covered are: the Mahaicony Bridge; the Skeldon Market on the Upper Corentyne; and in Fort Wellington near the Government complex housing, the Police station and the Magistrate’s Courts.
Also, coverage is being provided in several areas within Enmore-Haslington Regional Democratic Council (RDC), and the Melanie Damishana’s main junction.
Cameras are also positioned at the busy Parika area; Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast; as well as Charity on the Pomeroon River; the Soesdyke Junction; and one at the entrance to North Ruimveldt and Aubrey Barker Road.
“These camera systems are nothing new to Guyana. We have had them for more than 10 years or so,” said Levi, noting that all 119 systems will all have omni- directional cameras, allowing monitors to pan a large area, tilt the camera to obtain a better view and also to zoom in to get close ups of activities ongoing.
“So if the police detect something or want to look around, they have 360 degrees of visual freedom to check out on any given subject,” he said.
The NDMA head noted that by all indications, the project will have no cost overruns and will come in under the original budget. This sign of proper budget management will then allow project engineers to use savings to acquire additional cameras.
A downside however, is the cost attached to the project to repair protective barriers around camera pylons as errant motorists have already crashed into a few.
