Latest update February 24th, 2025 9:02 AM
Dec 23, 2016 Letters
Dear Editor,
I take this opportunity to draw attention to a rather unprofessional, unprincipled and disrespectful manner in which the Linden Senior Citizen Association and Funeral Home was treated by the new Commander of the Guyana Police Force “E” Division, Linden/Region #10 with respect to the funeral service it operates, as told to me by the administrative supervisor; the secretary/ manager and assistant secretary/ manager.
The LSCA for over 20 years has been providing a much needed and invaluable service to the entire Region 10 by way of its funeral parlour business. Being a main and very prominent funeral parlour in the Town/Region, it has also over the years assiduously served the Guyana Police “E” Division without fail; transporting dead/ decomposed bodies from far-flung remote areas and places in the interior and beyond whenever summoned by the police – day or night.
That they have been working along with the “E” Division for all those years is testimony to their reliability, trust and good relation they have placed in them and share, as the officers were quick to point out: every Commander who was here before to the very last one who left, less than two months ago can attest to this. They recall that many of them made it their duty to visit the Association to familiarize themselves with its workings by having discussions with the JP and the administration.
However, this is no more the state of affairs, with the arrival of the new Commander things have changed. But why and for what reason? According to the LSCA officers as per usual they were called upon to pick up the bodies of two persons who were killed in an accident at Moblissa on the Linden Highway and take to the mortuary, which they did.
But when the bill was submitted, the Commander in charge rejected it claiming that the cost ($15,000) was too much, thus he refused to endorse it, and according to the executives there are three more such outstanding invoices to date that they are still waiting on.
Now what the officers of LSCA are saying is that the price charged is standard and has been stable for some time, $10,000 to remove a dead from anywhere within the Town and $15,000 beyond the Region; this is what ordinary folks have to pay and they have not charged the police one penny more. In fact, they have been most reasonable with them in transporting the two bodies for one price. Please note that Moblissa is a location in Region 4.
Thus they consider the Commander to be rather unreasonable. They speak, as they have come to know from experience, of problems encountered in dealing with the dead, more so decomposed bodies which are never always an easy run away, often times they are confronted with the unexpected. They tell of the porter having to be assisted by hired hands that have to be paid “good money”, worse yet at nights when going to remote areas, not to mention the lengthy periods in waiting before they are paid and which they have been bearing up with, without complaining.
But what has disturbed them very much is the Commander’s mode of operation in that, they have only come to know about his disapproval of cost from another official when a call was made to find out about the payment. A question mark still stands against the payment for this last service rendered, since as mentioned above, the Commander is challenging it, including the three other previous invoices that were submitted, and as they say, they are left hanging as to what will be.
Even further perturbed, that from the scheme of things, it appears that their services would no longer be required since from reliable information received, police stations within the Region have been instructed to cease operating/dealing with the LSCA Funeral Home, and was also informed that arrangements have already been made to have another funeral parlour replace them.
Again, according to the LSCA executives they weren’t even granted the basic courtesy of being informed about the termination of their service, much less thanking them for the years of service they have provided, as they lamented, everything was done in a most unceremonious manner.
In what way can this unfitting behavior by a senior officer of the GPF in charge of any Region be considered as exemplary? How can we still expect such behavior to improve the image and communal cooperation of the police and citizens?
Frank Fyffe
Editor’s note: Below is the police response to this letter: The Commissioner of Police wishes to state that no instruction was given to any Divisional Commander to terminate the services of any funeral home, and that the decision for bodies to be transported to the funeral parlour, rests solely with the duty officer on duty at that time. However, the processing of payments for accounting purposes, has to be carefully examined, so as to ensure transparency and accountability. This system has been employed by the Guyana Police Force in each of its policing divisions and to date there has not been an allegation of cancelled payments by any other funeral parlour.“Jairam Ramlakhan“Superintendent“Public Relations and Press“Officer
Feb 24, 2025
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