Police mum on alleged racial, physical abuse of female cop by attorney

Mar 28, 2022 News

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Kaieteur News – More than a week after an attorney allegedly abused a female police rank, physically and racially, the Guyana Police Force has remained silent on the matter despite several questions posed to its Corporate Communications Unit.
This newspaper last week reached out to one of the operatives, Stan Gouveia and was met with silence. Similar questions were asked in a Whatsapp group, which is comprise of the top brass of the Guyana Police Force as well as the Minister of Home Affairs, but again no response was given.
Last week the policewoman who was allegedly assaulted verbally and physically on March 20 at the home of attorney Nirvan Singh, called for a swift investigation into the matter and has also demanded monetary compensation and public apology. Shawnette Bollers WC15555, in a letter from her lawyer Eusi Anderson, also accused Singh, the son of former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh of spitting on her.

She stated that she is an employee of the Guyana Police Force and was assigned guard duties at the Georgetown location where Singh lives with his father. The letter said that on March 20, around 22:13 hours, “in the dark of night, you unleashed an unprovoked, verbal tirade of racially charged insults to her saying, among other things, “monkey”, “black monkey”, Black people have no purpose in life and “get out, get off of my property.”
The letter said Singh was loud and aggressive and repeatedly violated the rank’s personal space by coming some two inches of her face to cause saliva droplets to touch her. On the same night, Singh was accused of chasing the rank from his residence and following her some distance away, “…further assaulting her, spitting at and on her and spewing vile words.”
The female rank said she fled the location and reported the matter to her superiors who despite her complaints, caused her to return to Singh’s residence to continue her duties. It was said that on March 21, the older Singh reportedly apologised to the rank on behalf of his son. In the letter Anderson said Singh’s actions, “…in their most polite description, constitute diverse civil and criminal wrongs,” and that his client is hopeful that the Guyana Police Force would institute the necessary charges.
Bollers, at the age of 32, is working to acquire her CXC certification and will sit the exam in May. The matter however, has left the woman, “…unhinged and staring into space as she reflects on the ordeal she endured in the dark hours alone that night of 20th March, 2022.” It was noted too that the ordeal also took place on the woman’s wedding anniversary.
“She is adamant that complaints must be lodged with the Bar Association and all Attorney regulatory bodies locally and internationally. She is adamant that complaints be lodged with all human rights, women rights and Black Rights bodies locally and internationally.” The lawyer’s letter stated that silence from local representing bodies has emboldened the female police rank to expose the matter and take measures to verify her story. “She is making arrangements to take a public lie detector test (polygraph test) on national television and Facebook live to underscore the integrity and veracity of her claims. She has directed me to institute a “lawsuit” to use her words. This will be forthcoming irrespective of your actions or omissions. She has directed me to record that she is not afraid of any official or unofficial victimization that may follow her decision to stand firmly in her human dignity and basic right to be a proud Black woman.”
The lawyer’s letter has suggested a public apology both written and oral from Singh in the next 24 hours. “I humbly suggest that same be deeply contrite and equal to the damage done. I humbly suggest that whilst doing so you consider a fair amount of financial compensation to offer her. Same can be made to me in writing in short order, considering the damage done to her and the steps she proposes to take nationally and internationally,” Anderson noted. Anderson reminded Singh that the world is still in observance of the United Nation’s International Decade for People of African Descent declaration, and posited, “…that speaking to brown and black people in that form was last appropriate about 400 years ago and certainly not in the decade of African people. That any person speaks to a brown person in that manner in 2022, especially in your esteemed office, is both out of time by 400 years and out of place in an era where race is no longer a bastion of insult.”
Condemnation
Meanwhile, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) said it is appalled by the incident in which policewoman, Shawnette Bollers, was the victim of a most vile and depraved racial attack by Attorney-at-law Nirvan Singh, while she was on guard duties at his premises on the night of March 20th.
The unprovoked attack involved an assault, repeated spitting, and a verbal tirade of racial insults, the party said in a statement. The woman’s employer the Guyana Police Force has remained silent on the matter and there is no indication whether they intend to investigate the attorney, whose father is the former Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh. “The racial insults hurled at Ms. Bollers do not bear repeating. But, understandably, the entire incident has left Ms. Bollers deeply traumatised.”
The PNCR said, “all Guyanese, we are sure, would join in condemning such offensive conduct. We call on the leadership of the Guyana Police Force to ensure the matter is not swept under the carpet and that Ms. Bollers receives all the support she needs to overcome her emotional distress. We call on the Guyana Bar Association to publicly condemn the conduct of its member and to impose appropriate sanctions. We also urge the Women and Gender Equality Commission and the Ethnic Relations Commission to fulfill their mandates by investigating this incident. We also expect all of civil society to add its voice in condemnation.”
The PNCR said the PPP/C must desist from creating conditions that result in Guyanese citizens being treated in this unacceptable manner. The silence of the PPP/C on this violation of the rights of Ms. Bollers is a clear indication of the PPP/C complicity in this heinous act. “As a country, we must work to ensure such abuses of persons based on their gender or race does not become normalized. We must relentlessly root out and reject all such behaviour by anyone, but especially by those who believe they are privileged by their social status or political connections. The PNCR will be closely monitoring the situation to ensure Ms. Shawnette Bollers receives proper assistance and full justice.”
For its part the African Community Development Association (ACDA) also condemned Singh’s actions. “We view spitting in the face of this African-Guyanese woman in 2022 Guyana as worse than similar actions of white slave makers to Africans. Attorney Nirvan Singh’s conduct has no place in Guyanese society and must be rejected by all Guyanese, regardless of race or class.”
According to ACDA it views this matter as not being isolated, but a symptom of a serious and expanding worsening of race relations in the country. “We condemn the leadership of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for its complicity by its failure to act as required by the law of the land. Guyana is a society based on the rule of law, and no citizen regardless of status or political connection is above the law.”
ACDA said it noted an apology from the older Singh, “…but the perpetrator remains unrepentant. Mr. Nirvan Singh is a conscious offender with no respect for decency and conduct befitting his profession as an officer of the court.” ACDA called on the Guyana Bar Association to take the necessary action against the Attorney for his alleged conduct.
The Association said too, it notes “The rise of racial triumphalism since the return to office by the PPP/C government. This racial aggression must be stopped in the interest of national unity and peace. Those with the power to end this degenerative conduct must act now or accept responsibility for worsening race relations and the consequences. We demand that immediate charges be laid against Mr. Singh by the relevant authorities. Failure to do so will be viewed as a breakdown of the social contract that binds the society.”
Adding his voice to the issue, trade unionist, Lincoln Lewis condemned the alleged action by the attorney even as he stated, that this nation must be called on to do better and recognise that our daily existence is intertwined. “The disrespect and violation of others will ensure continuous disruption of the peace and harmony most of us seek. When taken into consideration, financial compensation and apology are not enough. Similar issues are taking place at other workplaces, with some being swept under the carpet, ignored, or the service of the victims terminated. Ms. Bollers is not only being commended for standing up to bigotry, but her outspokenness should serve as an exemplar of what is required to demand the right to be treated with respect and dignity, in the workplace and wider society. Yours truly trust she will not be victimised by her employer in defending her rights but would become a role model for standing up for what is just and fair.”
Lewis said the time has come for issues of this nature, that have underlying racial prejudices, to be ventilated in frank, open and honest conversations, and structures put in place not only to educate but sanction those who think such conduct is acceptable. This nation was founded on the motto “One People, One Nation, One Destiny” by earlier progressive thinkers and leaders who recognised that together we can build a united Guyana where all are treated equally. For all are one and there truly is no division that surmounts that which binds us as a people, dependent on each other for individual and group survival.

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