Let us salute Assistant Commissioner Ramnarine

Mar 25, 2012 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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By Khemraj Ramjattan

Minister Rohee’s outburst and callous characterization of Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine’s statement as mutiny is intimidation and persecution of one of Guyana’s best cops.  The Policeman’s only action was to speak the truth when he said he received no monies to purchase food for ranks under his charge during the week of Elections 2011.
This truth hurt the Minister so much that he is now quoting Standing Orders on Ramnarine.  Ramnarine is far brighter than the Minister when he responds with the Constitution and his right to freedom of expression.  I am happy to see our Senior Cops, in the tradition of Paul Slowe, confronting Ministerial authoritarianism by quoting the provisions of our Constitution. This is a huge development.  Ramnarine should be promoted forthwith to a Deputy Commissioner by the President, who should on the same day dismiss Minister Rohee.
Only recently President Ramotar was in Parliament pontificating on Constitutional principles and precepts which must be lived and practised by all. His Excellency must remind his Ministers like Rohee not to pressure and persecute outspoken public officers like Ramnarine.  And he must remind his Ministers that our Constitution makes explicit provision that our public service, (which includes all policemen by virtue of article 232), must be free from political influence.
Minister Rohee probably never read article 38G.  His Learned Attorney General was before the Chief Justice advocating the supremacy of Constitutional provisions to Standing Orders and correctly so. This lesson is important also for the Minister of Home Affairs.
This is what 38 G says:
(1) The integrity of the public service is guaranteed.  No public officer shall be required to execute or condone irregular acts on the basis of higher orders.
(2)  The freedom of every public officer to perform his or her duties and fulfill his or her responsibilities is protected.
(3)  No public officer shall be the subject of sanctions of any kind without due process.
(4)  In the discharge of his or her duties a public officer shall execute the lawful policies of the government.
Mr. Rohee may never know that speaking the truth is the first duty and function in the discharge and execution of the lawful policies of Government. He, like all other Ministers, must get acquainted with this provision.
Moreover, the next provision, article 39, demands that he as Minister be guided in the discharge of his Ministerial function by the above principle in article 38 G. So don’t only read Force Standing Orders, Rohee. Read the Constitution!
From another perspective, I was somewhat perturbed by some senior ranks calling me to give an opinion as to whether or not Ramnarine should not have shut up rather than speak out when the Press put the question to him. I had to remind them that the Press is doing its work when it asks such questions – and doing so in the public interest, which includes that of the Police.
I questioned what would have been their response had I asked the question of them as a Parliamentarian who wanted to find out whether the monies were indeed disbursed as approved. I reminded them that it was disbursement in accordance with approval which remains a mystery and a huge difficulty up to today concerning the $4B which the Minister of Housing appropriated some time ago. They then began to appreciate the need for answering and doing what is right.
I reminded them that they always want true cooperation of citizens when doing their work as policemen. It is citizens who are truthful as to what they see and hear who help in the fight against crime and the bringing to justice those who have wronged our society. Without the truth coming from those who know, there will be no crime solved. Imagine what would happen if upon rushing to a crime scene everybody shuts up? Although they all saw and knew what happened. That would be disastrous.
Similarly, the Press and Parliamentarians are like policemen of the public purse. If they are to ask questions of those who are in the know, then why should not those who know bear witness to what they know? If that witness is a policeman, even an Assistant Commissioner, why should he remain silent like a suspect? His obligation is to answer, and to answer truthfully, as far as he can. This is what Ramnarine did.  I am so happy that the point was made to them. I hope they will now live that.
You see, Parliamentarians and the Press will only be able to bring forward evidence of corruption and misfeasance in public office when people are allowed to talk about them, to whistle-blow as it were. We need more Ramnarines in every sector of operations, in the public and private realm.
The PPP hates when sunshine is brought to its management through the Ramnarines of this country. We must condemn this management style. But we must also incentivize a culture of fearlessness and truth-speaking. And so we must see as heroes those who prefer to quote the Constitution as against those that quote the archaic Standing Orders.
Lest I leave it unmentioned, we must also congratulate the Auditor General for taking the stand he did and commencing an audit into the $90 million, which Rohee sees as unnecessary. For all you know, it may vindicate the Minister. But let us always allow sunshine on these expenditures. Confidence will be restored.

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