Assassination plot…Halted promotions include cops who testified at COI

Aug 13, 2017 News

Just days after President David Granger directive that there be a halt on police promotions, it has been revealed that at least three officers summoned to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the alleged assassination plot against him, were on the list to be promoted.
These officers include Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, for the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Chief Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum for Assistant Commissioner and Assistant Superintendent, Head of Major Crimes Unit, Mitchell Caesar, to Deputy Superintendent.

Assistant Commissioner, Clifton Hicken

President David Granger

These officers were called to testify at the ongoing COI for the role each of them played in the investigation of the allegation made by Andriff Gillard, that businessman, Nizam Khan, attempted to recruit him to kill the president.
The COI was ordered after it was reported that the investigation was poorly done.
As the modus operandi of the Guyana Police Force is being examined at the COI, the president wrote to the Police Service Commission (PSC) and asked that all promotions be halted until further notice.
Chairman of the PSC, Omesh Satyanand, confirmed that the letter was sent to the secretary and it came up at a meeting.
Some of the officers on the promotion list were Assistant Commissioner, Nigel Hoppie to Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent E. Thomas to Assistant Commissioner.
From Deputy Superintendent to Superintendent: G. McAllister, R. Banwarie, R. Ali, L. Saul, G. Davis, C. Johnson, H. Winter and R. Martin. Assistant Superintendent J. Barker and S. Reid were listed to be promoted to Superintendent.

Assistant Superintendent Mitchell Caesar

Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) raised some concerns about the government’s interference in the police promotions.
In the letter from the Office of the President, dated July 26, addressed to the commission’s secretary, Marvalyn Stephens, Minister Harmon said that President Granger had “directed that there be no consideration of promotions for members of the Guyana Police Force by the Police Service Commission, until further notice”.
The leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo in a statement said that the letter is another “vulgar and authoritarian” attempt by the President to trample upon the independence and functional autonomy of a Constitutional agency.