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Public Security Minister promises release of protocols by weekend…as SOCU gets $20.3M in supplementary funds
Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall
The Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) received $20.3M in supplementary financing after the passage of the supplemental paper on Monday. Not, however, before Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, was grilled about the yet to be released SOCU protocols.
The money will go towards salary and operational-related expenses. When the National Assembly reached the line item, under the Ministry of Public Security, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Members of Parliament Anil Nandlall and Clement Rohee had probing questions about SOCU’s operations.
Nandlall questioned when the protocols for the unit would be made public. Ramjattan subsequently gave a commitment to release these protocols within the week. He was also asked by the former Attorney General about the unit’s composition.
Nandlall noted that the unit is supposed to have financial analysts and lawyers, since it is a unit intended to probe financial crimes. The Minister disclosed that the unit had three Officers and one Financial Analyst by the name of Alicia Padmore.
He could not present, at the time, her qualifications. With regards to the Attorney-at-Law, Ramjattan stated that efforts were ongoing to have one on staff.
Since SOCU is an arm of the police, albeit a special one, Nandlall also enquired whether it was subject to the Police Service Commission (PSC) and disciplinary proceedings normal in the force. Ramjattan confirmed that this is so.
Rohee enquired about the chain of command. It was pointed out that SOCU falls under the Commissioner of Police, who reports to the Minister.
SOCU was established under the previous administration, but they had failed to implement the protocols for that specialized unit that is tasked with probing financial crimes.
However a call for the standard operating procedures to manage the affairs of the SOCU intensified following the deaths of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sgt. Robert Pyle, his wife Stacy, and Canter truck driver, Linden Eastman. They died in an accident on December 30, 2015.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) had stated that Pyle, driving motor car PRR 9118, was in pursuit of another vehicle during a “Special Operation” on behalf of SOCU, when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into Eastman’s oncoming Canter truck on Carifesta Avenue.
According to reports, Pyle was part of a team that was carrying out an operation in the vicinity of the residence of embattled head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, (NICIL), Winston Brassington.
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