RSVG Police Force launches Summer programmes

There should be no excuse for students not having anything meaningful to do during their long school break.

This, as the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force has programmes to occupy them.

Among the activities organized by the local constabulary are the Youth Music Programme, the Police Youth Club camp, along with the Coast Guard Summer programme.

The overall theme of the programmes is “Stimulating and Nurturing Young Minds During Summer Time”.

A joint press conference was held last week Thursday to the launch the various programmes.

The annual music programme, which takes place at the Old Montrose Police Station band room, commences Monday July 22, and runs for one month.

Vaughn Miller, co-ordinator of the music programme stated: “At the end of this Summer Programme, we are hoping that each participant will leave with the knowledge to be able to play at least a major, a minor or a piece of music”.

The participants of the music programme will be taught the rudiments of the playing of the tenor pan, the side drums, the drum set, as well as the trumpet, clarinet and trombone and other instruments.

Gleeful that the Police Force Band is contributing to the development of students, Miller advanced, “We the members of the Police Force Band are very thankful and are grateful that Almighty God has blessed us with talent we are giving an opportunity to share our talent with our nation’s youths”.

Meanwhile, the Police Youth Clubs’ camp will be held at the Argyle Primary School, beginning today Friday, July 19.

The camp’s co-ordinator – Loraine John said among the many activities that will engage the campers, will be “arts and craft, life skills…. We will have fire drills…. We will have sporting competitions…”.

John declared that the internal sporting competitions have served as a talent identification exercise for the Police Youth Club’s participation of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College’s inter-divisional sports competitions.

John stated that the theme for this year’s camp is: “Nurturing our nation’s youths; our valuable resources”.

Another of the pillars of the SVG Police Force’s outreach at this time of year, the Coast Guard Summer programme, got going last Monday at a new venue – the Calliaqua Town Hall.
Staged in three phases, the Coast Guard programme has phase one running from July 15 to 23; phase two – July 29 to August 6 and phase three from August 12 to August 23.
Damian Franklyn, co-ordinator of the Coast Guard programme announced the various areas which the 150 participants will be exposed to.

Franklyn listed the history of the Coast Guard; personal development; boat handling; leadership development; etiquette training; knots and splices; conflict resolution; swimming, CPR and first–aid; recreation; site visits to the Vinlec power, as among the main areas of engagement.

According to Franklyn, the programme is being carried out under the sub theme of “Shaping our Youths for life’s high seas”.

Also present at last Thursday’s press conference was Garet Dopwell of the anti trafficking in humans unit. Dopwell in highlighting the intent of the unit, restated their proactive nature, as they endeavour through public education to “nip in the bud”, the “heinous crime” of human trafficking.

As a consequence, Dopwell said that members of the unit are available and can be contacted to be resource personnel to educate to youths on human trafficking.

“If there are any organizations and groups out there, who want to invite the unit to sensitise their participants on child trafficking, the number to call is 456-1750… We also have an email address, which is svgantitraffickingunit@gmail.com”, Dopwell informed.

Apart from these conduits, Dopwell said that the unit can be contacted via their Facebook page: the anti-trafficking in persons unit rsvgpf.