PROFESSIONAL POLICING NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Aug 29, 2014 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
For too long, too many Guyanese have been psychologically, socially and emotionally abused, maimed, killed and otherwise had their lives destroyed by members of the Guyana Police Force.
These abuses and deaths will not stop until the people express serious concern or rise up against such barbarism. The fundamental purpose of government and the security forces is to protect its citizens.
But this is not the case in Guyana where the police are allowed to violate the human right of the people, especially the youths.
To say that the Minister of Home Affairs and the minority PPP regime have failed, and failed miserably, in the most basic function of protecting the citizens is at best an understatement.
Report upon report, investigation upon investigation after alleged police murder and brutality have done very little to change the culture of impunity which seems to characterize the Police Force. The PPP regime has continually pointed out that there are scores of good policemen and women and of course they have used this argument as a conduit or escape route rather than face the magnitude of the problem which currently afflicts the people.
The police have and continue to use very poor judgment in their attempts to solve crimes and this is why some 45 percent of murders are not solved.
The crux of the problem with this errant Police Force must not be ignored. We know that the police force is not perfect; in fact, it is far from perfection.
Add to that reality is the fact that the police are often given “basket to carry water” especially with respect to the poor conditions they work in and the meager resources they are given or not given to do their jobs.
This, along with the poor salaries, paid to them is the primary reason why they openly ask for bribe from any and everyone.
Since assuming the portfolio, Mr. Rohee has not brought about any revolutionary changes to the operations and culture of the Police Force.
He is not only micro-managing the force but has allowed the killings, barbaric acts and wrongful lock-up of innocent youths to continue. This is why we are demanding his resignation as the Minister of Home Affairs effective immediately.
For those who might still be in doubt as to the urgent need for changes in the Police Force should be reminded of the ghastly police-related killings and torture which were brought to the public attention during the Jagdeo era. How many more victims must we allow to endure the cruelty of the Police? Sadly, in some of these cases no one has been charged, let alone convicted.
For those who ask why we are bringing up these matters now, we can only wonder at the kind of Guyana one wish to live in and or see their children and their grand children grow up. Police murders and brutality should concern everyone.
As a rule, one cannot change what one is not concerned about.
Witness after witness have testified that several innocent youths are picked up by plain clothes police officers to see if they are wanted in connection with any crime. Although the Constitution states that “No person shall be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading punishment or other treatment” yet these poor souls are beaten and or tortured by the police to confess to crimes they did not commit.
As a people, either we believe that the government exists to serve the people or that the people exist to serve the government. It cannot be both.
From an objective point of view, there is no denying that there is something rotten in the PPP government to allow such brutality on the citizens of Guyana.
Guyana does not need a barbaric and corrupt Police Force. It needs a disciplined, professional and independent police organization.
If the PPP regime does not act to protect the rights of the people, it could lead to a real sense of despair among the youths and the loss of their precious freedoms and this could lead to further self-destruction of society.
Despite the fact that there are good officers in the force, the average Guyanese working-class citizen continues to battle on a daily basis for the maintenance and respect of their human rights against a barbaric Police Force whose culture of brutality against the citizenry has proven resistant to meaningful change. We believe that Police Officers should be retrained not to abuse the citizens but to respect their human rights.
What has gone wrong? Has the society done something wrong in nurturing its police to commit such brutal acts?
Is the politics that we have practiced to be blamed?
We need urgent and honest answers to these questions if we are to save the next generation from this kind of Police brutality.
The indisputable fact is we have a lopsided society that is predicated on inequalities, unfairness and the marginalization of a large ethnic group.
And, while poverty may breed crimes and murderers, Guyana without the means and with diminishing opportunities to emerge from poverty, is bound to breed a particular kind of frustration which makes life very cheap and meaningless.
Everyone in society is threatened by the break down of law and order.
This is why the total lack of respect for the people’s rights by the Police is something deserving of closer attention by the incompetent Minister of Home Affairs and his inept PPP regime. This is a very dangerous occurrence, to say the least; especially in light of the fact that respect for the law is one of the great inheritances that has maintained freedom and held the society together since independence. This is now slipping away.
Far too many members of the Police Force have committed major crimes in recent years against the citizens and they are not prosecuted. As we see it, crime-fighting in Guyana will continue to target the youths mainly because of the lack of proper scientific investigative skills in getting the real criminals off the streets. Professional policing is needed for the survival of the criminal justice system and for the police to build greater confidence with the public.
We can best honor the memory of those who died at the hands of police bullets by resolving to make the society safe for ourselves and for our children.
Asquith Rose and Harish Singh.

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