I had 39 years of unblemished service in the police force

Aug 24, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Recently I wrote a letter to the press supporting His Excellence Brigadier David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic Of Guyana directive to the Police Service Commission to put on hold promotions for police officers. Since then there have been diverse reactions in the print and electronic media and elsewhere on the President’s directive including a letter written by Harry Gill which appeared in the Kaiteur News. I feel that Harry Gill’s letter is a subtle attempt to belittle my character and integrity. Please permit me to respond to his lengthy missive.
His letter is riddled with inaccuracies, irrelevancies and contains a massive dose of unadulterated piffle.
Instead of dealing with the facts and the issue, he backtracked and referred to my well ventilated exchanged of views in the media with the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority and the Police Public Relations and Press Officer. He skillfully failed to refer to my responses to both parties. Let me briefly state the issues. I questioned the legality of the investigators of the PCA to investigate alleged breaches of discipline under the Police (Discipline) Act Chapter 17:01. I quoted section 5.(1) of the Act which states, “ Every alleged commission of an offence against discipline under this Act shall be investigated as soon as practicable by a member of the force not below the rank of sergeant and of a higher rank than the member of the Force who is alleged to have committed the offence.”
I argued that the PCA investigators were not members of the Force, they have no ranks, they were not appointed/ promoted by the Guyana Police Force or the Police Service Commission, hence they were breaching the Act whenever they investigate matters of a disciplinary nature. The chairman had different views and recommend that I read several sections of the law and the Disciplined Forces Commission Report of 2003 which I did, but did not find anything that amended Section 5.(1) of the Act. Since this section became law in 1975 it remained pristine. Belatedly, Harry Gill has re-opened the case and appointed himself judge, jury and executioner for the matter. So be it.
The PRO was given a letter to publish that was crafted by four members of the GPF in relation to some issues and concerns in the Force I raised that are now manifesting themselves at the CoI been conducted by Paul Slowe retired Commissioner of Police. I responded to that letter. Perhaps, Harry Gill did not read it. I will email a copy to him. I still stand with what I wrote about ghosting and refuted the baseless accusation that I deliberately attempted to mislead members of the public of activities and issues within the Guyana Police Force. We exchanged different views. End of the matter. Harry Gill is apparently now drinking bush for other people fever. I do have excellent relationship with the PRO and continue to give support to the GPF and its members in many ways. In his letter, Harry Gill mentioned my name fifteen times and sent me on early retirement October 1st 2008. He took away from me four years of quality service I gave to the GPF and the citizens of Guyana.
The PPP member of Parliament placed me on a list of unemployed retirees, questioned whether or not I may be one of the police men who may have faced disciplinary actions for violating the very laws we took an oath to uphold and raised doubt if indeed I was an upright and outstanding police officer during my long career in the Guyana Police Force. He posited a hasty assumption that I may be making myself available for many of the lucrative job opportunities that that administration has made available to retired members of the security sector and that I may be invited to join SARA.
I do not like to blow my own trumpet but just to let the PPP Member of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee for Security Sector know that after thirty nine years of unbroken service in the GPF there is not a single entry of disciplinary, corrupt or criminal offence committed by me listed in my personal file at Police Headquarters or anywhere else. I will continue this discussion in a forthcoming letter
Clinton Conway
Asst. Commissioner of police (rtd)

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