On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the Guyana Police Force formally opened its purpose-built Bartica Police Boat House in Region 7, a major infrastructure investment designed to upgrade law enforcement reach and responsiveness across the country’s water-accessed riverine and remote hinterland communities.
The official commissioning ceremony, held between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in Bartica, drew roughly 350 attendees and concluded without any disruptions, kicking off official operations at the strategically located facility. The event opened with multi-faith prayers and a recitation of Guyana’s National Pledge, chaired by Superintendent D. Handy, Deputy Commander of Regional Division 7.
In his opening welcome, Assistant Commissioner Dion Moore, Commander of Regional Division 7, greeted Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond and her delegation. He extended public gratitude to the minister and the Guyanese government for consistent support to the division, highlighting not only the new boat house but also the recently completed Ekereku Police Station, and the provision of new patrol vehicles and all-terrain vehicles for frontline work.
Speaking on behalf of Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Errol Watts also addressed attendees, thanking the government for its sustained, substantial investment in the Guyana Police Force. Watts emphasized that this targeted resourcing allows law enforcement to carry out public safety duties in a more proactive, effective manner, closing gaps in coverage for remote communities.
The ceremony included cultural programming highlighting local community engagement with policing, featuring a vocal performance from Celena Pollydore of the Mora Camp High Flyers Police Youth Group and a spoken word poem from the Agatash United Police Youth Group.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Andre Ally shared details of the project’s financing, revealing the boat house was completed at an estimated total cost of 33 million Guyanese dollars. Ally urged police leadership to prioritize regular maintenance and careful stewardship of the new public infrastructure to extend its service life for the community.
In her keynote address, Minister Walrond highlighted a key recent win for Guyanese law enforcement: a 25% nationwide reduction in serious crimes. She framed the new boat house as a critical continuation of government investment in public safety infrastructure, noting that the facility will cut response times for emergency calls and crime reports across vast riverine areas that were previously hard for officers to access quickly.
Bartica’s unique position as the primary gateway to Guyana’s hinterland makes the boat house a strategically vital asset, the minister added. She called on officers to use the facility with discipline and integrity, and reaffirmed the Guyanese government’s long-term commitment to providing the police force with all necessary resources to reduce crime and raise public safety standards across every region of the country.
Following the formal program, Chief Inspector K. Gordon, Officer in Charge of the Bartica Police Station and Sub-Division 1, delivered the vote of thanks. Attendees then moved to the boat house for a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Zahir Rahaman, after which Minister Walrond led an official walkthrough and inspection of the completed facility.
The commissioning of the Bartica Police Boat House stands as a landmark milestone in the ongoing expansion and modernization of the Guyana Police Force. The project directly advances government efforts to improve police mobility, service delivery, and operational efficiency for remote communities that rely on water transport, bringing enhanced public safety coverage to long underserved regions of the country.