– Home Affairs Ministry The Ministry of Home Affairs is rattled by what it described as persistent falsehood regarding the provision of resources to the Guyana Police Force.The Ministry, in response to claims that the Force is being starved of resources to successfully and effectively execute its legal mandate to the people of Guyana, lashed out at Opposition political parties, and sections of the media.“The Ministry wishes to state categorically that since its assumption to Office in 1992, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration has paid close attention to the all-round needs of the Joint Services. Never in the history of Guyana, and, particularly, since its independence in 1966, has so many resources been available to the law enforcement agencies, the Guyana Police Force, especially,” a statement from the Ministry indicated.Millions of dollars in vehicles and other resources have been given to the Police Force over the past five years.According to the Ministry, an analysis of the government’s expenditure on the Force will reveal that a total of $2,148,861,552 has been spent over the past five years. A breakdown of the spending shows that $167,550,981 was expended on training; $758,Cheap Air Max USA,865,921 on motor vehicles and cycles; $802,Derrick Favors Jersey,837,002 on building projects; $326,813,Joel Ayayi Jersey,213 on arms and ammunition and $92,794,435 up to 2011 on Forensic Laboratory Equipment.In the area of training, the Ministry said that over the past seven years, the sum stated above was spent on training at both the junior and senior levels.The figure however does not reflect attendance at overseas training, most of which is fully funded by the sponsors of those programmes.The Ministry assured that in 2014,Kyle Wiltjer Jersey, it will ensure that adequate financial resources are secured once again for the Force to “provide for the needs of this important organization that is tasked with the maintenance of law and order in Guyana”.But the Ministry in its press release made no mention of the boat that was procured in 2009 for the police under questionable circumstances. What was supposed to be a transparent, standard purchase of a 30-ft ocean-worthy boat to fight crime, ended up as a scam involving a small group of high level members of the Force.Last year, the Ministry in a statement on the procurement of the boat, spoke of kickbacks received by the senior police officials who were subsequently ordered to repay all illegally obtained proceeds from the purchase.According to the Ministry, the identification and procurement of the boat was left solely to the Guyana Police Force, since they insisted that they knew the type of boat they wanted.“It is to be regretted that from the day the boat arrived in Guyana, the problems with it were never-ending and the continuous purchasing of spares and payments for maintenance was placing a heavy toll on the budget of the Guyana Police Force. The cost for maintenance and purchase of spare parts for the boat amounted to millions of dollars,” the Ministry of Home Affairs stated.The Police Force was responsible for the processing of payment to the supplier, which was done through Citizens Bank Guyana Inc,Zach Norvell Jr. Jersey, and was also responsible for the receipt,Anas Mahmoud Jersey, inspection and storage of the boat.The small group of high-level officers was in contact with the head of Cartronics IV and conducted the financial transaction.But according to the Ministry, based on sound information received, an investigation was launched into the circumstances surrounding the purchase of the vessel.“The scam was busted and the culprits at home and abroad were identified.? The Government demanded repayment of all the money from the local culprits who had collected kickbacks.? Some paid, while others paid for those who refused to return their share.? The money recovered was paid into the Consolidated Fund.? The overseas-based vendor was threatened with prosecution.? He fixed the boat which sailed for a few weeks and then broke down never to sail again,” the Ministry had informed.This newspaper learnt yesterday that the boat was handed over to the Ministry of Public Works.