Latest update September 22nd, 2026 10:30 AM
Senior Police Officer again exposes his colleagues
Dear Editor,
I refer to a letter published by Mr Jonathan Parsuram. Mr. Parsuram feeble attempt of defending the Commissioner of Police by referring to me as being petty, bitter, cunning. Parsuram should have sought to confirm if the information as published is correct and have his friend Commissioner of Police justify why he is managing the Force in that manner. I wish not to take up space to enlighten Mr. Parsuram paucity of knowledge and poor attempt at deconstructing my choice of words. He should have verified the information and contextualized my choice of words. Let me shed some light on the Office of Professional Responsibility; there are three competent Detective Assistant Superintendents about the same number of Inspectors and a host of other junior ranks all of certain kind wasting time there under the guise of capacity building. These men would have all served at Divisional and Sub Divisional in the investigative field and are needed back in the fields to do proper police work but instead are packed like sardines at OPR. Suffice to say this Department is decentralized with every Division having a sub office. Strategic Management or Managerial Incompetence?
The foregoing picture is identical to the situation at TSU and D, E, F & G Divisions. I ask the question again; aren’t there competent enough officers at the required rank to fill those positions? Maybe Mr Parsuram should ask the Commissioner of Police that. On the job training and succession planning involves exposing persons (ranks) to work that they will be required to do in the near future so that there can be a smooth transition.
For the information of Mr. Parsuram; I am well schooled and can be considered a veteran at managerial issues, command structures, control systems and more in military/para military organisations.
I am forced to assert that either Human Resource Management is lacking in the Guyana Police Force or the Commissioner of Police just doesn’t care and is not forward thinking. For the past year and a half the appointments of Commissioner, Administration and Operations have been rotated between Assistant Commissioners Balram Persaud and David Ramnarine. You can also throw in the position of Crime Chief in the mix on an occasional basis. For the information of the public the Force is having five other Assistant Commissioners barring the Head of Presidential Guard yet none are afforded the opportunity to act in the positions of ‘AC’ Admin or ‘AC’ Ops in the absence of Selall Persaud, Balram Persaud or David Ramnarine.
The foregoing begs the question as to if these five Assistant Commissioners are lacking in knowledge and managerial know- how or are they being marginalized by the Commissioner of Police? Permit me to high light that every time one of the top three has to be away from the Force, the duties and responsibilities of that one is taken up by the other whilst he continues to hold his own portfolio. Additionally if the Crime Chief has to be away one of them either ‘AC’ Admin or ‘AC’ Ops takes up that portfolio so it is fair to say that the Deputy Crime Chief is lacking in competence too.
Mr. Editor, it will be fair to deduce that something is definitely amiss at the top of the pyramid of the Guyana Police Force. Why these officers are not afforded opportunities to act in senior capacity? Should the Commissioner of Police practice proper Human Resource Management it means that every officer will be exposed to duties above his/her appointment which will amount to on the job training and succession planning.
Succession Planning has always been a bug bear within the Police Force and no Commissioner of Police for the past two decades has shown any inclination of wanting to correct this ill. Quite surprising Commissioner Seelall Persaud has been more blatant than all. For a man who much was expected in terms of seeing positive changes and a fairer style of leadership, he has flatter to deceive. My trust is that the musical chair will stop soon so every man can get his due since the present practice is bad for morale and legitimate expectations within the Officer Corp.
Senior Police Officer
(Name supplied)
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