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President orders Police Commissioner to stay high level transfers
– Leslie James is still Crime Chief
Some of the recent reshuffled postings within the Guyana Police Force have been put on hold, to allow for consultation with representatives of the newly elected government.
Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud
Kaieteur News was reliably informed that Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud was advised by senior officials of the coalition administration to halt the replacement of crime Chief Leslie James with his current deputy Wendell Blanhum.
A few other reshuffling moves were also put on hold based on the advice given to Commissioner Persaud.
These include the movements of Divisional Commanders in three police divisions.
Only the appointments of Assistant Commissioner of Police Brian Joseph and Senior Superintendent Lyndon Alves as Head and Second-in-Command of the Presidential Guard respectively, remain intact.
The order to halt the reshuffling is being seen in many quarters within the Force as embarrassing.
“These are not simple movements, we’re talking about the Crime Chief here, along with three other important movements,” a police official pointed out.
Kaieteur News understands that the decision to put a hold on the appointments might have to do with the absence of a political figurehead to give blessings to adjustments at such senior level.
Recently named Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Joseph Harmon confirmed that the administration did advise that a hold be put on the recent transfers.
“We were not informed about it, we had no prior information about it, and coming so soon after the
Leslie James
change of administration, we believe that the incoming Minister should have been given the opportunity to comment on these changes at this senior level and therefore the President has asked Mr. Seelall Persaud, the Commissioner of Police, to put all of these changes on hold until such time that the Minister is appointed,” Harmon explained.
While there might be no inclination for the new minister to micro-manage the Force like his predecessor, Commissioner Persaud will definitely have to give reasons for his decision to make certain transfers.
The most contentious move by the Commissioner is in relation to the Crime Chief position. Leslie James had taken over the CID when Seelall Persaud assented to the office of Commissioner of Police last year from Leroy Brumell.
“The President has said clearly to the Commissioner of Police that he does not want these high level changes to take place unless the incoming Minister has an opportunity to be briefed on them as to the reasons for it,” Harmon stated.
As to whom the new Minister of Home Affairs will be, Harmon was non-committal, only venturing to say that “it will be an AFC person.”
The David Granger administration has not yet appointed a Minister of Home Affairs, following their victory at the recently concluded General Elections.
It is being rumoured that it will be attorney at law Khemraj Ramjattan, who heads the Alliance for Change, the other major party in the coalition movement that will govern Guyana for the next five years.
According to some senior police officials, there is no doubt that James is facing unique challenge related to his own personality.
In the case of Blanhum, a top police official stated that while he might have quite a long list of qualifications, a lack of experience might work against him at this time.
“Academic qualifications are all well and good but they are not the panacea for what is required to deal with law enforcement, particularly when you don’t have a solid investigative background….the funny thing is that there seems to be persons who are privileged to attend university most of the time rather than do actual police work,” an ex-officer expressed.
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