PHILLIPS
MEMBERS OF the police force should expect to have a more comfortable working environment, as a number of police stations will be built across the island, while several others will be repaired.
Already, work is under way on a new facility on Main Street in May Pen, which should be completed in July for commissioning soon after.
Construction of the Falmouth Police Station should be completed by the first quarter of 2006.
TENDER PROCESS
In his Budget presentation at Gordon House recently, National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips informed that provision has also been made in the 2005/06 capital budget for the building of police stations in Port Maria, St. Mary; Bath, St. Thomas and Alexandria in St. Ann.
"In each case land has beenidentified and the architectural drawings are now complete. Once the tender process has been completed construction can begin," he stated.
Meanwhile, of the 87 police stations damaged by Hurricane Ivan last September, 31 have been repaired, work is in progress on 15 more, while others were slated for repairs.
SYSTEMATIC IMPROVEMENTS
Expenditure for repairs or replacement of police stations and other improvements amounted to approximately $200 million last year, Dr. Phillips said.
"We are not able to address all the problems at once, but we are on a programme of systematic improvements," Dr. Phillips added.
