BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A US$100 000 refurbished building was officially opened on Tuesday (Apr. 29) at the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Training Academy.
The refurbishment was donated by the Royal St. Kitts Beach Resort Group of Companies, specifically Vic De Zen and his partners Fortunato Bordin and Domenic D’Amico. The building is now officially named the De Zen House.
The building is expected to house the female barracks for trainees of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) and the organisation’s tailor shop.
At a brief handing over ceremony at the Training Academy’s compound, the building was officially opened in the presence of the Governor-General, Sir Edmund Lawrence; Government officials; senior officers of the RSCNPF and members of the Royal St. Kitts Beach Resort.
Speaking briefly at the ceremony, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley spoke of the significance of the building.
“This building goes a long way to build capacity within the organisation. This is something that is indeed critical if we are to meet the challenges of modern day policing.”
He said the building also signifies the confidence investors have not only in the government but also the RSCNPF.
Queeley stated that more females are taking advantage of opportunities that the RSCNF has to offer, adding that 13 females had recently graduated from the Training Academy.
He took the opportunity to call on other business and persons in the community to make similar contributions to the RSCNPF as it continues to ensure the safety of the Federation and its inhabitants.
In his address, Arun Maharajh, Director of the Royal St. Kitts Beach Resort Group of Companies, said that the De Zen House building represents his organisation's commitment to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
He said the building "underwent a major renovation of the existing 1 300-square foot building to what it is today", adding that the work was completed within three and a half months.
He thanked the construction team for their hard work, noting that "without their collaborative effort this project would not have been a success".
Also speaking at the ceremony was Permanent Secretary in the Anti-Crime Unit Her Excellency Astona Browne and Commandant for the Police Training School Superintendent Lionel Moore.
Permanent Secretary Browne stated that the donation of the facility is one of the National Adaptation Strategy concepts in which focus on the security sector is critical, given that it is linked to the successful implementation of the national development agenda.
“The Anti-Crime Unit will therefore persist with the fulfillment of its principal policy objective in its effort to maintain economic, social and political stability to foster growth and development in our country,” she said, adding that “we will also persist in reducing crime so as to enhance the safety and security of our communities and to build capacity through human resource development and to collaborate with national, regional and international agencies in strengthening the safety and security mechanism in the Federation”.
