“A” Division Annual Career Day helping youths’ to “choose career paths”-Commander Hicken

GINA, GUYANA, Saturday, April 8, 2017

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) “A” Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara) today held their annual ‘career day’ for the police youth groups. The event which was held at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary under the theme, “Transforming the mind, developing the nation’s youths through education, motivation and self-development” is the third of its kind.

Commander of ‘A’ Division, Clifton Hicken said this is a part of the GPF’s plans to collaborate with society and help to build capacity for children and youths to, “mould them to be good leaders of tomorrow.”

To this end, moulding the children to be good leaders will reduce crime and help youths in a positive way Commander Hicken said. In an exclusive interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA) He said, “This will by extension create leadership in communities and aid in the development of Guyana.”

Commander Hicken explained that the main idea of the event is to help children to decide on a career path, “It means therefore that they have a vision. Children are not bad they make bad choices based on peer pressure.”

There were booths from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), Guyana Fire Service (GFS), Ministry of Public Health Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), and E. R. Burrowes School of Art. There was also a dental booth which was giving tips to the children on dental hygiene and preventative care.

According to Commander Hicken there are currently 17 youth groups across Guyana extending from Soesdyke/Linden Highway  to Conversation Tree and  they all participated in today’s activity. “We are harnessing the talent as we see them and developing them through a mentorship programme.” He commended the communities for coming out and getting the youths to participate in the GPF career day.

Since the establishment of the 17 youth groups Hicken said the GPF has developed their relationship and confidence with members of the general public, “We have collapsed that barrier and I think this can only grow from strength to strength.”

Technical advisor in the Ministry of Education Wazir Mohamed said, “We are heartened at the Ministry of Education” that the GPF is

involved in this kind of activity not only in ‘A’ division but in all the police divisions across the country, he noted that moulding young minds is very important for a country’s development. “It is complementary to the work that we do in the Ministry of Education” Mohamed said.

He added the activities which the GPF are doing is not only helping the youths, but helping them to stay in school, “because if we can keep them in school then we can educate them.”

When GINA spoke with some members of the GPF youth groups; Akeela La Fleur one of the young participants of Mocha, East Bank, Demerara said that she has been a part of the Mocha police youth group for two years and it has been wonderful experience. She aspires to become a teacher or an airhostess.

Nine year old Tiquan Sampson is a member of the East La Penitence police youth group. He chose to dress as an engineer which he plans to become in the future.

Ten year old Takquan Moseley of the East La Penitence police youth group said he learned Karate and arts and crafts in his group. He plans to one day be the President of Guyana. His brother Tarique Moseley who is eight years old would like to be the Prime Minister of Guyana in the future. He also enjoys the youth group projects such as craft and learning about the GPF.

Commander Hicken highlighted that there are many more projects to be rolled out this year for the police youth groups which include a youth expo and youth ambassador programme.

 

By: Zanneel Williams