A Member of Parliament is embarraseed

Apr 06, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
Please allow me space to air my most humiliating experience at the hands of the Guyana Police, since I became a Member of Parliament.
On Sunday April 1 (Easter Sunday), I took a few family members on a boat cruise from Parika to Bartica. We were returning from Parika in my car with my brother-in-law, Ramnarine Panday, driving and Troy Bhagwan, my nephew and Nick Persaud, my brother from Canada and I in the car.
It was at exactly 12:20am on Easter Monday when we were stopped by a police pickup with flashing lights a little before we reached Lusignan. Panday stopped the car. A young policeman came out of the pickup and stood by the driver’s window and blurted out, ‘You drivin’ all over the road like you drunk’.
I immediately said, ‘He was not driving like he is drunk and that is an old line.’ This young policeman told me to shut the f—up. I responded by saying, ‘I am a Member of Parliament and this man is my driver and he will never drink when he is driving’. This arrogant young punk police said…’PPP ent running things now, drive to BV Police Station to do a breathalyzer.” Being an Indian, according to this shit-head police, meant you are a PPP. I told Panday to turn around and drive to BV.
It was a grand reception that we met at BV Police Station. About six police ranks were out to greet us and one, who seemed to be in charge, asked what happened. I told him what had transpired and he said my tone was too loud for him (I agreed with that) so I toned down and he took us into the station where Panday did the necessaries and the result was 00 so we were sent away.
As we were walking out of the BV Police Station, another young punk kid in uniform blurted out,’ he ain’t no f–ing Member of Parliament, he look like a sku—t. I looked at him and thought of a night in a lockups and said nothing.
I drove from there because Panday was quite noticeably upset at the entire police fiasco.
At this stage, I would like to ask the Honourable Minister of Public Security, the Commissioner of Police and perhaps also His Excellency, the President of this Republic, if our police will ever be taught to conduct themselves in a civilised manner when dealing with members of the public.
Will they ever do things like saying “good night” or “good morning’ and “please”? Why drag a person back to a police station because you are on an ego trip? Should the patrols not have the Breathalyzer with them so the very simple test can be done at the roadside?
And as an MP (any MP) should some respect be shown to that MP, at least after the MP’s card is presented to the rank?
I hope someone looks into how police treat citizens and please believe that Police look at members of the public as pawns and totally disrespect them.
Respectfully,
Charrandass Persaud (MP).

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