Guyana Police Vehicles adorn Spanish markings, spark debate

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been sporting Spanish markings for the last two weeks, which has raised questions and subsequently sparked a debate. On Tuesday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) gave a statement to explain and defend its decision saying that it has been done in the interest of all Guyanese for better, broad based and more efficient policing.

Polce vehicles now sport the Spanish word ‘Policia’ on their sides and according to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) it will help cater to foreign nationals and many Spanish speaking citizens that reside in Guyana.

“In an effort to provide a more broad-based and efficient professional Police service to all Guyanese, including the influx of foreign nationals, especially those speaking Spanish, the Guyana Police Force has decided to include ‘Polícia’ on all Police vehicles”.

“The Force vehicles will have Police (in English) along with the GPF Logo.  ‘Polícia’ (Spanish for Police) will be placed at the bottom of the English writing,” the police statement said.

The Guyana Police Force has also stated that this is part of their forward thinking ‘Strategic Plan 2022 to 2026’.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Been is also a supporter of the idea, saying that it helps cater to a “significant” number of Spanish speaking individuals in the county.

“It’s an attempt to respond to the many persons in the population who speak Spanish… it’s just a bilingual thing,” Benn said.

He also stated that this decision is a “little trial”, that is a part of the broader schemes that are to be brought in by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), which is looking to focus on policies and decision that benefit the Spanish speaking population as well. Most of the Spanish speaking segment in Guyana’s population comes from neighboring Venezuela.

“The Police are working on ideas in respect to it…I think they are doing a little trial at it. There is an intention of course to reflect the significant people in our population who speaks Spanish,” read Benn’s statement on the matter.

There has been a slight degree of questioning as to why the decision is being implemented and whether it is beneficial to the people of Guyana on the whole. Generally speaking though, most seem to either be willing to let the experiment play out, or are ambivalent to it.

Either way, this gives the Guyana Police Force (GPF) the opportunity to test out this new scheme and understand whether it is of any significant benefit or not.