Black Immigrant Daily News

Executive Director of the Private Security Regulation Authority (PSRA), Rick Harris, says the agency is working to transform the private security industry by providing solutions that will improve regulation and monitoring, expand access to its services and improve ease of doing business and increase compliance in the industry.

With that in mind, the PSRA is executing a rigorous drive to continually improve its products and services. It seeks to boost its support for private security personnel and organisations, and national security as a whole.

To further improve services and access, the PSRA now has a Mobile Registration Unit (MRU) which travels across the island to facilitate registrations and renewal of licences for individuals and companies.

The authority has fully embraced a digital approach for most of its services; applications for renewal of security personnel licences can be completed online and direct banking is an accepted method of payment for all registration/licensing services.

The PSRA will also facilitate employment opportunities, as private security companies can now access a database with licensed private security personnel who are registered and available for employment. This, along with access to private security personnel registration history, will ensure that fit and proper professionals are selected by registered private security firms to provide security services island-wide.

With demand growing for private security services, Harris believes that the authority is on the right path as it seeks to support the nation’s security needs.

Over 300 private security companies and more than 27,000 private security personnel are currently registered with the PSRA, in comparison to little more than 17,000 personnel at the end of March 2012.

“The private security industry is critical for Jamaica’s growth and the island’s national security needs. It is, therefore, our vision to become a progressive and proactive regulator that provides the support that is required to advance the industry, improve its standards, and increase access to private security personnel and service providers across the island. With our new services and access, we hope to develop a private security industry that is well regulated and ready to perform and serve Jamaica,” Harris said.

The Private Security Regulation Authority (PSRA) was formed to monitor and regulate the private security industry. The body was created in 1992 and is a department under the Ministry of National Security.

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George Busby

THE State has discontinued charges against two men accused of obstructing the police when they were arresting businessman Inshan Ishmael in 2017.

Last week, deputy Director of Public Prosecutions George Busby exercised his powers under section 90 of the Constitution to discontinue the charges against Eisa Ghany and Ansar Mohammed in the Chaguanas magistrates’ court.

The two were charged on October 12, 2017, when police went to Barakah Grounds, Chaguanas, to arrest Ishmael.

The businessman was arrested and released with no charges but weeks later, he was told of three warrants for his arrest and surrendered to police. The charges against Ishmael were deemed unlawful by a High Court judge in May. Justice Frank Seepersad held the police acted maliciously and without cause when they arrested and charged Ishmael.

His malicious prosecution claim against the State was undefended and after the judge’s ruling, an appeal was filed but later dismissed.

Ghany and Mohammed, who also own food establishments at Barakah Grounds, were also arrested on October 12, 2017, for allegedly obstructing the police while allegedly taking videos of Ishmael’s arrest.

At the magistrates’ court, the men’s attorney Richard Jaggasar argued the charges against them could not be sustained. since there was no foundation for them.

The trial began in July before Magistrate Duane Murray.

Jaggasar referred the court to Seepersad’s ruling, submitting that if the principal arrest was deemed unlawful, then no one could have been deemed to have obstructed the police from carrying out an unlawful duty.

He asked for the charges against the two men to be dismissed.

The matter was adjourned to last week when Busby said the State could not pursue the charges against the two men.

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A seven-member delegation left Saint Lucia last week to compete for the first time at the 44th Chess Olympiad, which will be hosted this year in Chennai, India, from July 29 to August 10.

The team comprises Candidate Master Reginald Martyr, Sixtus Gabriel, Cyrus Daniel, Nathaniel Mathurin, Arvin Nicholas, trainer Martin Comas, and Delegate Tris-Ann Richards.

Saint Lucia is ranked 4th in the English-speaking Caribbean, 147th out of 187 countries, and number one in the Eastern Caribbean.

President of the Saint Lucia Chess Federation (SLCF), Tris-Ann Richards, says the team is pumped and ready to go and create history.

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“It’s a really rigorous chess tournament with over nine rounds,” she said. “We have an open team of male players, including four players and reserves. So they’re really excited to go out and do Saint Lucia proud.”

Richards said the team’s participation in the Chess Olympiad was made possible through numerous sponsors, including J.E. Bergasse and Co. Ltd, LUCELEC, National Community Foundation (NCF), National Lotteries Authority, Computer and Business Services Ltd., and Ministry of Youth Development & Sports.

This Chess Olympiad is the Olympics of Chess and is the biggest ever with over 187 countries set to take part in this global event. India won the bid to host the event after the Russia lost the bid due to the Ukraine crisis.

Source:  Saint Lucia Chess Federation. Headline photo: Some members of the chess team.

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