After years of uncertainty and displacement, police officers in Vieux Fort are now settling into their newly refurbished police headquarters — a move welcomed with great relief and satisfaction by the Police Welfare Association (PWA).
President of the PWA, Cameron Laure, on Thursday praised the long-awaited relocation and acknowledged the resilience and sacrifice of the officers who, for over five years, endured unsafe and unsuitable work conditions while awaiting completion of the new facility.
“After more than five years of moving back and forth from one location to the next and the conditions that they have had to endure in those locations, the police officers are excited to finally be moving to the new police station, refurbished that is,” Laure stated.
The PWA President described the new headquarters as a significant improvement for the officers who had previously operated in conditions far from ideal. “They’re finally going to a space that is more conducive to human inhabitation or a working area,” he said, adding that he visited the station to personally assess the officers’ reception to the new environment.
Though Laure acknowledged there are still minor teething issues at the facility, he emphasized that these are manageable. “Nothing that cannot be rectified within a short space of time,” he noted, expressing confidence that the relevant authorities are eager to address the outstanding concerns.
Laure also took a moment to recognize the officers’ steadfast commitment to duty, despite the challenges faced. “You must commend them for staying in the conditions that they have been in. I’m very surprised that they remained and endured the conditions only to ensure that the public received the service that they deserve, sacrificing themselves and their health,” he said.
The refurbished Vieux Fort Police Headquarters marks a milestone in improving the working conditions of law enforcement in the south, where officers have long called for better facilities. Laure concluded by reaffirming the PWA’s satisfaction: “They’re satisfied, they’re happy to be moving. And I’m happy that finally the move has started into the new refurbished police station that we fought [for].”
The return to a stable and modern base of operations is expected to enhance police service delivery in the community and contribute to broader efforts at strengthening public safety in the region.
