Private Security Regulations Authority Stages Annual Conference March 16

Private security companies and security guards from across the island are expected to converge in Kingston for the fifth annual Private Security Regulations Authority (PSRA) conference on Saturday, March 16.

The event, under the theme ‘Securing Your Health and Well-Being’, will be held at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Executive Director of the PSRA, Rick Harris, told JIS News that the conference intends to reaffirm the importance of security personnel to Jamaica’s landscape and to share information and garner feedback from various stakeholders.

Explaining the decision to focus on health, he said that “we want the security guards to see their health and well-being as their greatest asset. Once they understand that, they will be better able to offer the kind of service that is expected and they will be able to do so consistently”.

“If they get proper exercise, rest and nutrition and have regular check-ups for early detection for any kind of illness, then certainly, they will be better able to carry out their functions,” he added.

Mr. Harris pointed out that the mental wellness of security guards is critical in ensuring that they can operate effectively.

“The hours of uninterrupted service that guards offer… mean that they have to be vigilant and mentally sharp and aware. The job can be very stressful depending on where the guard is stationed, so they need to know the coping mechanisms and skills that they can employ, and that is what we are trying to emphasise through this conference,” he told JIS News.

Mr. Harris is urging security firms and practising security guards to attend the conference.

“We encourage any guard or company that is registered to come to the conference, because it will be very informative. There will be a lot of information about our self-contributory health scheme and about mandatory life insurance. There will also be other types of information, including the protection and support that the PSRA provides,” he said.

The main speakers are Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr Horace Chang; Psychiatrist Dr. Wendel Abel; and motivational speaker, Michael Maragh.