A negative prediction about the Police Force

Jun 02, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,

Relative to Kaieteur News article “Police Force gets 50 new Inspectors” dated Sunday May 29, 2016 page 16 which in closing stated that “What we found is that some sergeants did not pass the required examination and that is why they have not qualified”, however they are many examples of Sergeants who have passed the requite examinations to hold the post of an Inspector or even an Officer, has no disciplinary matter in the recent pass and in some cases none for their entire tenure thus far in the Force and were still overlooked by the Commission with the most recent promoting list of Inspectors. Why?
The list is also contradictory to a Kaieteur News headline which was Police Service Commission moving to end supersession in the force dated February 7, 2016 by Dale Andrews, where the Commission give an example which stated “for example you have an inspector being promoted above 30 Inspectors who have acquired that status before him, and the question must be asked why?”. My question to the Commission is why more than 3 of the ranks that where promoted to Inspector including the lone Corporal (who only attained that rank January 2016) on the list all of which have not served more than 3 years as a Sergeant or Corporal were allowed to supersede a number of more eligible Sergeants who are far more senior to them if we are to hold to the article by Mr. Dale Andrews?
The only justifiable but yet disgraceful supersession was the promotion of a female junior W/Sergeant to Inspector of Police, the supersession was justifiable because of the fact that she is the most qualified person on the list of ranks that were promoted and disgraceful because someone with the qualifications as now W/Inspector (name supplied) should have at least attained the rank of that of an Assistant Superintendent of Police and if the Commission was only solely seeking to fill the void of Inspectors then someone else should have been given that opportunity and W/Inspector (name supplied) should be on the next promotion list as an Assistant Superintendent at least. The majority of the Cadets Officers were promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent in the recent past, most of which only acquired a sound secondary education and not so sound for many others but yet they are Assistant Superintendents now.
My next question Mr. Editor, What is the Police Service Commission and the Guyana Police force doing or what do they have planned for the Junior Ranks (Constables-Inspectors) in the Guyana Police Force that are currently qualifying themselves at the tertiary level (Diplomas, Bachelor’s Degree, Post Graduate or even Masters) and most importantly what are they doing for those that would have already added such qualifications to their names? Certainly it cannot be the disgraceful education allowance of GY$312 for a Degree and even further why should Ranks qualify their selves to the benefit of the Guyana Police Force and then are not promoted? Or are they too going to be subjected to ‘no Supersession’?
What we foresee Mr. Editor is definitely an uneducated Guyana Police Force in the next twenty years or so because for those of us who have qualified ourselves we will definitely be moving on to greener grass and the next generation with academic ambitions will undeniably be daunted from enrolling as a serving member of the Guyana Police Force.
Disgruntled Junior Police Ranks

3 thoughts on “A negative prediction about the Police Force”

Amanda June 2, 2016 at 10:31 am

An organization where the uneducated are placed in charge of the educated is bound to be a total mess. Promotion in any organization should be based on merit and what better Merit than qualification. There are junior ranks that are much more qualified than some of the most senior member of the force and these same seniors are tasked with recommending who get promoted and who don’t.
1. Surujpaul Rampersaud June 3, 2016 at 11:09 am
  
  Amanda, your point is well taken. I do agree that education level is an asset for mobility in any organization. However, it should not be the sole criteria. In every organization, when there is a vacancy the position is advertised and includes things like : job functions and qualification requirement. You need to find out whether the jobs you are talking about have degrees as a requirement. If this is not the case you need to advocate for it.
  1. Amanda June 5, 2016 at 2:51 pm
    
    I agree, but for an organization to be effective it must place its best and brightest minds in leadership position. For instance we have one of the most qualified crime chief’s presently and we can all see his effectiveness. I am by no means saying that academic qualifications is all, however it does set a standards and like you would have said i think its time the GPF or the police service Commissioner put in place academic and other requirments for holding certain position in the organization. It is a shame for this day and age to still have comanders that havent even achive a first degree.