Guyana acquires polygraph machine

May 17, 2008 News

– President warns of increased use locally

Guyana has acquired its own polygraph equipment and Government intends to use it in the wider security field, according to President Bharrat Jagdeo.
President Jagdeo added that officers of the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) have already been subjected to the polygraph and quite a few have failed. They will be fired for failing the tests.
A polygraph (commonly referred to as a lie detector) is an instrument that measures and records several physiological responses including blood pressure, pulse, respiration and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions on the basis that false answers will produce distinctive measurements.
Last week, it was disclosed that CANU employees were to be polygraphed and anyone failing the tests will be sent home.
At a press conference yesterday, President Jagdeo disclosed that already written assessments of the CANU tests have been completed and are being perused to determine how serious the breaches were.
The use of polygraph tests is becoming a standard part of the developing technology used by law enforcement agencies including those in hotspots like the United States and Colombia.
Guyana, he warned, will be using the technology more and more to weed out the “bad eggs”. He said that it is going to be a deterrent to those who remain knowing that they will be tested repeatedly.
Those recruited to replace the sacked workers will also be subjected to the polygraph. It will be a useful tool since anyone who has to be subjected to the tests will think twice about committing any unsavory activities, he said. CANU officers who failed will face action, he said, and added that the government is prepared for any legal fallout from the dismissals.
There have been criticisms over use of polygraph tests since some courts are not recognizing them. Additionally, there has been many recorded cases of persons lying convincingly while being interviewed but no significant changes were picked up by the equipment.
Jagdeo admitted that a specialist was brought in to conduct the polygraphs and moves are being made to send a few persons from Guyana to be trained overseas in the use of the machine.
However, he warned, the training takes time and persons handling the equipment will have to be experienced so as not to place the person being questioned at a disadvantage.
Some persons may be scared while being on the machine and this may send a wrong signal.
Many law enforcement agencies are reportedly using polygraph test as a means to have a fair idea about potential employees.

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Guyana acquires polygraph machine

– President warns of increased use locally

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Guyana acquires polygraph machine

– President warns of increased use locally

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