PM issues second show-cause letter to Slowe

Jun 04, 2021 News

– Accuses him of joining force with Opposition

Kaieteur News – The Prime Minister (PM), Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, on Tuesday, issued a notice to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Paul Slowe to show cause why he should not be removed as PSC Chair, citing that Slowe’s actions indicated that he had joined forces with the political opposition.

The Prime Minister (PM), Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips.

According to a document seen by this publication, Phillips stated, “In the exercise of the powers vested in me by virtue of Article 225 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, I hereby direct that you do show cause, in writing, why I ought not to advise His Excellency, the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, that your removal as chairman of the Police Service Commission be investigated…”

The PM indicated that this was a consequence of his awareness that Slowe has joined with Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul and retained Opposition Members of Parliament, Roysdale Forde SC, Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman, Geeta Chandan- Edmond and Amanza Walton-Desir to institute proceedings against the Government of Guyana (GOG) and other various parties in High Court on a pending matter.

The Chairman of the Police Commission (PSC), Paul Slowe.

The document revealed, “The Commission and its members are named as Applicants in the proceeding and are expressly relying on the Affidavit evidence of Mr. Mahipaul in the proceeding, and from all indications, the case has political overtones and has the appearance of a political contest between the Government and the Opposition.”

The PM continued to further state that, by the Commission’s posture, the public perception is that the Commission and its members have abandoned all appearances of impartiality and have joined forces with the Opposition politicians to engage in an open, partisan, political contest with the Government.

“The Constitution of Guyana, the supreme law, enjoys the Commission and its members to be free from actual or perceived political bias, influence and interference and must at all times appear to be independent, impartial and autonomous. The joinder of the Commission and its members in these legal proceeding and their professed alliance with the political opposition, render you and the Commission in breach of those constitutional duties. Indeed, both the public and the members of the Guyana Police Force have complained that you are no longer perceived to be free from political, bias impartial, independent and autonomous,” PM Phillips stated.

Slowe’s press conference which was held on Monday was organised to focus on his response to a “show cause notice” that was sent to him by the PM.

Phillips had written to Slowe and another member of the PSC, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clinton Conway, two weeks ago to show cause, why he should not advise the President to have them removed.

The letter was sent to them after investigations conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) revealed that Slowe, Conway and others – some of them retired high-ranking policemen and some ranks still serving the GPF – allegedly conspired to defraud the Force of over $10M.
Slowe, although not present in the country, was charged jointly with the others with conspiracy to defraud the Force. The PSC Chairman is also being accused of sexually assaulting a female senior officer of the Force on three occasions and is expected to present himself for questioning at the GPF’s Gender Based Violence Unit. Slowe, during his press conference, denied both allegations.

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