Rohee warns against use of state assets for illegal activities

Aug 27, 2009 News

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Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee has warned members of the Police Force that they “should not take it out of their thoughts” and use the resources of the state to commit nefarious activity.
The Minister gave the warning during a simple ceremony to officially hand over five double cab pick-ups to the force on behalf of his ministry.
According to the Minister, the new vehicles are to be used for the purpose intended only, and that is to conduct duties consistent with policing.
“These vehicles should not be used to or be seen going to market places, for dropping children to school, for partying and any other activities that would bring the force into disrepute,” Rohee declared.
The Minister referred to the recent incident involving three ranks of the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard who used a vessel belonging to the state to execute a brazen robbery murder in the Essequibo River.
“We saw recently a case where a Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard boat was misused to commit a heinous crime…I want to warn police ranks to whom these resources are entrusted to don’t even think of engaging in such deeds or misdeeds,” Rohee stated.
The Minister said that as the person who is responsible for the actions of the Police Force he is not happy with the most recent incident that has embarrassed the organization.
“I do not take and since I do not take then, those below me should not do so. If they do and are caught they should be made to suffer the consequences,” the Minister said, referring to three policemen who appeared in court yesterday for the larceny of over $4M which was recovered from the Essequibo River heist.
“I feel let down and a sense of disappointment, especially when we take into account all the hard work being done to transform the Guyana Police Force so that it can be more effective… and to improve more and more the relations with the people.”
He said that it is incident like the previous ones involving the Coast Guard and police ranks that blemish the good name and standing of the Police Force in the eyes of the public.
To this end, the Minister pledged to have the organization work harder to cleanse the force of rogue or potential rogue elements.
This entails intensive character assessment be done at the point of recruitment, and high values and standards are vigorously instilled into the new recruits of the force.
Police Commissioner Henry Greene stated that the police recruitment process has provisions for background reports and criminal checks, which he said is being rigidly enforced.
He noted that it is difficult to determine if anyone has an ulterior motive whenever they enlist to join the Guyana Police Force.
“Our background checks or interview with him or her is what we rely on,” the Commissioner stated.
According to Greene, within the force, there are ranks who continue to commit themselves.
“As fast as they do so we will weed them out and we will do what we have to do to ensure they are no part of us,” the Commissioner said.
He pointed out that efforts to weed out some of the unwanted cops are met with court challenges.
The new vehicles handed over yesterday were acquired at a cost of $4.1M each and will be distributed to specific departments which will be decided at a later date.
Minister Rohee pointed out that the standing orders on the maintenance and use of a police vehicle are very clear and one does not need it to know that the vehicles must be kept clean and properly maintained.
He said that too often his office has received complaints from citizens about the absence of police vehicles to respond to reports of criminal activity.
Rohee said that it is for these reasons that the government of Guyana is obligated to provide increased capacity in land and water transportation to the force to address such problems.
He recalled that there was a time when the force had very limited vehicle strength and therefore there was no other alternative than for it to enter into partnership with the civilian component of the society to assist with the transportation needs.
Today, he said, the Guyana Police Force’s capacity to move rapidly from one point to another, whether on land or water, is fast becoming a reality.
The Minister stated that it is now left to the ranks and those who supervise them to ensure that the resources are properly supervised and used in full accordance with police duties.
Commissioner Greene thanked the Ministry for maintaining the vehicular fleet of the force, noting that yesterday’s handing over represented the last presentation for 2008 in terms of land transport, and the force looks forward to this year’s fleet.

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