Security preparations for CWC in advanced state—Regional Ops. Commander
--Guyana seeking specialist assistance in counter-terrorism
Kaieteur News
December 16, 2006
Guyana's security preparation is said to be in an advanced state for next year's International Cricket Council hosted Cricket World Cup (CWC), of which eight Super Eight matches are to be staged here.
Regional Operations Commander of CARICOM Operations, Planning and Coordinating Staff (COPACS), Colonel Antony Anderson, following a meeting with the top brass of the Police Force, told the media yesterday that the level of preparation is on par with what obtains throughout the region.
Anderson ended a two-day visit here as part of a series of visits to CWC host countries. The security plan for these countries is up for scrutiny from COPACS.
During his visit, Anderson met with the Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, security planners, command staff, and logistics elements to ensure that the security needs of Guyana are adequately met.
“Most countries are at the stage where they are starting to look at how they are going to put in simulation table-top exercises, and actually work those plans they have all come up with over the last year or so,” Anderson stated.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe, who is responsible for coordinating the local security arrangements, noted that Guyana will be seeking specialist assistance in counter-terrorism. He added that this is an area that is lacking throughout the region.
Slowe, while not foreseeing the need for foreign security assistance to police the stadium, noted that Guyana may also need specialist assistance with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear capabilities.
“We don't have this in the region, and so these skills will have to be sought outside of the region… more of the advanced nations are offering certain types of other technical security assistance, and therefore we have said to them that we would like to be counted,” Slowe stated.
Anderson noted that a regional resource mobilisation unit, which is headed by Jamaica's National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips, and a team from the International Security Assistance Group (ISAG) are collectively approaching the international community to seek for assets and assistance.
It is in this context that Guyana may be able to benefit from international assistance, Anderson noted.
He added that the region is using this approach to solicit help from Brazil and Venezuela to have them work with Guyana in securing its borders.
Anderson stated that, so far, diplomatic approaches have been made to the South American nations for assistance.
Guyana, the other host nations, and Dominica have agreed to create a single space during the period of the games.
Anderson noted that once this was done, clearly each country is now dependent on the other to secure its borders.
“Everybody in the process would like to know that what is happening in the other country will sufficiently protect them from any of the things they will protect themselves from,” Anderson stated.
He added that in accessing the state of readiness for the games, a host nation needed to understand the scale and magnitude of hosting the games.
“What they are dealing with is not just the tournament itself, but creating an environment that is really encouraging to persons who want to come to enjoy what the Caribbean has to offer, but at the same time is hostile to persons with criminal intent,” Anderson alluded.
He said that it is the balance of the two things that will make for a successful regional and national approach to this tournament.
Slowe stated that over 300 security personnel from both the Guyana Police Force and private security agencies will be stationed at the Providence Stadium. He added that, last week, persons who were identified as Stadium security officers completed a training course conducted by the Jamaica-based firm Oriel Solutions, which has been contacted by ICC to provide training.
ICC requires that each individual who is to work in the security capacity at the ICC venues receive training and be certified by Oriel.
Slowe noted that, in February next year, a team from the Jamaican firm will be in Guyana to train the over-300 security personnel identified to provide security at the stadium
Oriel is already in possession of the security overlay for the stadium, and is also expected to conduct on-site simulation training during the training sessions.
Slowe noted that recommendations were made to have the total security team for the Stadium to be composed of 90 per cent private security personnel and 10 per cent police ranks, in keeping with standard procedure for events of this magnitude. Slowe noted that, in the Guyana context, this was unrealistic.
Guyana will use two matches in February to further test its security plan for the mega-event.
Slowe noted that ICC officials will be invited to observe the plan at work, with recommendations arriving from those matches being considered in the final security plan.
COPACS is an agency that was developed following a decision by Heads of Governments in CARICOM to host the tournament as a region.
The agency was set up to provide and coordinate assets to assist host countries that are deficient in certain areas, and to ensure that high common security standards are achieved across the region.