Housing schemes pose policing challenge
-cops need to know layout of areas, many roads in poor shape
Within the last decade several large housing schemes have been developed along the East Bank corridor and while many are thankful for house lots there are increasing concerns about the police’s ability to respond promptly to reports of crime because of the few signs and their unfamiliarity with the areas.
An armed robbery at Plantation Providence, East Bank Demerara last month has exposed the police’s unfamiliarity with the area and this may very well apply to other schemes such as EE Eccles, Herstelling, Farm and Covent Garden.
Though these schemes collectively house thousands of people, there are still many lots which are unoccupied and covered with tall grass which makes them the ideal hiding place for bandits. The deplorable state of the roads is also of concern since a police vehicle or a fire tender would take a lengthy time to get from one end to the next. In the case of the police, the criminal would make his escape with ease particularly if he is on foot, a bicycle or a motor cycle.
Observers are now questioning whether there is a relationship between the Central Housing and Planning Authority – the entity which allocated the lands - and the police.
CH&PA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lelon Saul says that if a request is made, housing plans will be shared with the police.
“Did the police request it? Certainly it will be given to them”, he said during a recent interview with Stabroek News.
Prior to speaking with Saul, Stabroek News visited the five schemes and spoke with residents who while outlining their concerns, were adamant that the availability of the area plans would make it easier for the police to man the area and to reach places where a crime had been committed.
The Providence Police Station and an outpost at Mocha (located behind Herstelling) are the closest police presence for these schemes. Farther up the East Bank corridor there are police stations at Golden Grove and Grove.
Saul told this newspaper that the Authority’s housing plan has not been shared with the police. He said that the police force is responsible for public security and therefore the police “ought to know the directions to locations. They should make it their duty to know. They cannot say that they don’t know”.
He advised that the police make it their duty to get the plans from the Authority or use tools such as google maps which would show all the streets in a particular area. Saul made it clear that there is nothing that prevents the Authority from sharing a scheme plan with the police but it has to first be requested.
No street names
During the visit to EE Eccles, a resident said that the lack of street names is a major impediment to the police. The businesswoman who requested that her name not be published told Stabroek News that if the police respond to a report, the victim has to direct the ranks by street. “If you call de police you gotta tell them come down First Street or Second Street or whatever street you living pon. If the police count wrong then is the wrong street they will turn down”.
The resident stressed that “if you lose track of where you going is lost you gon get lost cause this place big bad”.
She said that she has been living in the area for the past four years and she is afraid for her safety.
The woman said that aside from the streets not having names, several are incomplete. A drive around the area confirmed the woman’s claim. Some streets were in a deplorable state. Tall grass has encroached on some of the roads making them narrow.
The woman noted that making the area plan available to the residents as well as ranks driving and walking around to familiarise themselves with the scheme would be helpful.
She like several other residents living there said that there are regular robberies in the area particularly at nights when persons are heading home. During the day she said homes are broken into.
With regard to the naming of streets, Saul explained to Stabroek News that residents can petition the neighbourhood democratic council in their area to name streets. “For example if you are living in Eccles and there is no street name, you can petition the Eccles/Ramsburg Democratic Council. You can come up with names and suggestions for your street”, he said.
None of the other four schemes have street names. In fact, the main streets in Herstelling are identified by the bridges – First Bridge, Second Bridge, Third Bridge and Fourth Bridge.
According to Saul, most of the schemes have not been handed over to the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) and as such the maintenance of roads and the installation of electricity and water falls under the Authority.
“We’re presently working on MoUs to hand over those schemes or part of those schemes to various