President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Monday morning turned the sod for the construction of a US$28 million 12-storey Brickdam Police Station. The modern facility which will house a new marine division will replace the wooden complex destroyed by fire on Saturday October 2, 2021.
The contract was awarded to R. Bassoo and Sons Construction in collaboration with Qing Jian Group Company Guyana Incorporated. The project is set for a 30-month completion target.
Furthermore, the facility marks the single largest project undertaken by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Expected to house 2000 individuals, the modern facility will serve as the nerve center for the Divisional Headquarters 4 ‘A,’ accommodating crucial departments such as traffic, finance, impact base, and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Distinguished by its design blending glass, concrete, and a steel frame, the structure will boast resilience against seismic activity up to a magnitude of 5.0, bolstered by state-of-the-art fire prevention systems. Additionally, advanced CCTV monitoring, a reliable grid-tied power supply, and dual elevators and staircases will feature within the complex.
During his feature address, President Dr. Irfaan Ali affirmed plans to transfer select services from the Force Eve Leary Headquarters to the new facility, signaling a commitment to further enhance law enforcement infrastructure. He also outlined broader initiatives, including the establishment of a world-class police academy.
“We’re building out for the first time a marine division that would be capable of utilizing our river asset in crime positioning, crime fighting and proactive intelligence work. So right now we are in the process of acquiring state-of-the-art marine assets to support the work of the Guyana Police Force,” he disclosed.
Outside of this, he said that officials are also working on building air capacity for the Force that will be integrated with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) new Hanger at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
In his address, Roy Basso, the contractor stated that the company intends to deliver the project ahead of schedule without compromising quality.
“We will not impede the vital works of the Guyana Police force during construction. Having worked successfully with this ministry before, we intend to not only deliver, but to build to the specifications and in keeping with our motto, we build to last a lifetime,” he added.
Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, expressed confidence in maintaining and improving service standards with the introduction of this state-of-the-art facility. Emphasizing a robust maintenance strategy and strategic placement of the 12-storey building, Hicken anticipates enhanced response times and service quality for the public.
He said, “We have a robust maintenance policy, that is being adhere to and with the 12-storey building it is likely that you are going to see we’re employing maintenance at the engineering level so that we can be self-sufficient in our spheres.”
Hicken also emphasized that the new modern building is an integral component of the police force’s strategy to enhance service delivery and effectiveness for the public.
