Georgetown : President David Granger said that human safety and public security can be guaranteed only by a police force that manned by persons who are competent, committed and not corrupted
The president was at the time speaking at the opening of the Police Officers’ Annual Conference today at the Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary. Acknowledging that he has taken a firm position on crime and corruption, speaking to members of the media after the opening ceremony, the Commander-in-Chief said, “I am not tough on the police, I am tough on crime. I am on the side of the Police Force that is why I went to all of the trouble to initiate reforms so that the Police Force would have an easier time in combating crimes.”
The President reiterated his call for a professional and incorruptible Force, noting that even the best efforts of the Office of Professional Responsibility and/or the Police Complaints Authority could be undermined by corrupt senior officers, who condone the misconduct of subordinates. This kind of unprofessionalism, he said, damages the careers and endangers the lives of honest policemen and jeopardises public security.
“Lawless policemen have no place in a lawful Force. A Force, which is contaminated by corruption, cannot safeguard the security of our citizens. Service in the Force must be based on the values of commitment, competence and incorruptibility… If corruption is concealed, it will continue. Transferring a corrupt officer from one branch to another or posting him from one division to another or promoting or demoting him from one rank to another cannot guarantee that he will change his wicked ways,” President Granger said.
Speaking of the devastating effects of crime and criminal violence on society, the Head of State reminded the ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) that human safety is necessary to ensure the country’s stability. He issued a call for the Force to secure the country against trafficking in drugs, guns, and people, noting that a safer, more stable society will signal to investors that destination Guyana is safe for their investments.
“Crime is the greatest impediment to human safety and economic prosperity. It must be curtailed if the people are to be safe and if the state is to be secure. The control and eradication of crime will protect citizens’ right to life and permit them to enjoy the rewards of their labour,” he said.
Reforms
The issue of reforming the GPF has been high on the President’s agenda, so much so, that shortly after assuming Office in 2015, the President lobbied now former United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron and sought and acquired the support of the British Government to re-introduce the Security Sector Reform Action Plan, which the former Administration had rejected.
“Security sector reform…will involve measures to promote greater probity in the work of the police and to ensure greater integrity among its members. It will strengthen professional responsibility and oversight of the Force. Security sector reform is being reintroduced at this time with the aim of providing increased security for our citizens by improving the Force’s performance to allow it to become, increasingly, more capable of crime-fighting and law-enforcement,” the Head of State explained.
Moreover, these vital reforms will see the reconfiguration of police divisions, increasing them to 10 to correspond with the Administrative Regions in Guyana’s regional system. The reforms will also strengthen partnerships between the Force and communities. “Security sector reform will help to reduce crime and uncover the causal factors, which give rise to crime. It will enhance cooperation between public and the police… Your Government will resist any attempt, from any quarter, to reverse, retard or thwart the reforms on which we are about to embark,” the President said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Carl Greenidge, who is currently performing the functions of Prime Minister, Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, Minister of Social Protection, Ms. Amna Ally, Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix, Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Ms. Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms. Shalimar Ali-Hack and Heads of the Joint Services were also in attendance at the opening ceremony.
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