A police senior management team politicised, a police force under duress

Jan 30, 2023 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – The vexed question is who the next Commissioner of Police will be. Do you want to hazard a guess? Let me attempt to clear the air. While I was serving as a member of the Police Service Commission i saw records which indicated that, on July 22,2023, Clifton Hicken the acting Top Cop will be fifty-five years old, and would reach the age of retirement.

Flashback!  The services of several Commissioners of Police were extended beyond the age of retirement. They include Laurie Lewis, Floyd McDonald, Henry Greene and Leroy Brummel. Information received is that Hicken has accumulated enough annualized vacation leave that can carry him to retirement, but an application was made for him to be paid for his leave, which will allow him to work until his date of retirement. The possibility of him being extended beyond the retirement date cannot be overlooked. That sparked some serious concerns among senior members of the Force.

There are many dangerously ambitious contenders anxiously awaiting to be appointed the next Commissioner of Police. In order of seniority Deputy Commissioner, Doctor Paul Williams is heading the list of aspirants. Of all the contenders, he is the most qualified professionally and academically. He was banished from the Force and sent to the Civil Defence Commission. In fact, the Commission now has a Deputy Commissioner, a Senior Superintendent and a Superintendent, all members of the Guyana Police Force as part of its human resource. Among the duties of the Deputy Commissioner at that entity are recording and monitoring rainfall and floods in the country. For unknown reasons, he is in the Government’s black book. Therefore, he will not be appointed the next Commissioner of Police. Wow! Next in line is Assistant Commissioner, Royston Andries Junior.

He is on a trumped – up charge before the Court, therefore, he is ruled out for the job of Top Cop. He is followed by Assistant Commissioner, Simeon McBean, Commander, Regional Police Division 4 A. He was unlawfully dismissed when the present Government was in power after he went to the United Kingdom and successfully completed a Master’s Degree in Global Security in Policing and Masters of Science. He subsequently appealed the decision and won his case. McBean was reinstated and promoted to his present rank. Despite his perpetual excellent performance and discipline, he is not on the Government list as a candidate for the appointment of Commissioner. So sad.

Sometime ago, I posited that when Nigel Hoppie was performing the duties of Commissioner of Police there was a ‘Gang of Five’ senior police officers working against him with the support of an office southwest of Eve Leary.

The gang is no longer operating. The paradigm has shifted.There are now five individuals operating separately like ‘snipers,’ shooting their way to be at the apex of management of the Guyana Police Force. This is so because there is a certain amount of distrust and disunity among them. It is as a result of what took place before and after the last police promotions were announced by the not lawfully and duly constituted Police Service Commission. It is headed by the installed Bishop Patrick Findlay. The police, while submitting the list for promotion from senior superintendent to assistant commissioner without justification, rearranged the order of seniority. Someone reshuffled the batting order from number one to four. As a result, a junior Senior Superintendent prepared and headed the list of recommended promotions sent to the unlawful Commission.   Remember the Hon. Chief Justice, Madame Justice Roxane George SC described a certain Senior superintendent as self-serving.

Without due diligence the not lawfully and duly constituted Police Service Commission rubberstamped the list of promotions. It approved the recommended list of promotions, as was sent by the police. The unlawful Commission did not add, alter or correct anything on the list. So, a junior Senior Superintendent rose to the top of the list of Assistant Commissioners promoted, much to the chagrin of his seniors. That is when the distrust and dissatisfaction among the top gunners – I mean the ‘snipers’ came into play.

A little about each ‘ sniper.’ Here are the allegations: Due to ethnicity, one is highly favoured by a house in Robb Street. Another has the blessings of two offices southwest of Eve Leary. He reports directly to them. The third is quietly gathering intelligence about the incompetence of the others, which will be submitted to the movers and shakers of the Force. Contestant number four apparently obtained a document indicating that Hicken has passed the age of retirement and that if Hicken’s services is extended he, the sniper, will shoot the document to members of the public. The last one is doing the biddings of the politicians with ridiculous ease. He is boasting that he will be rewarded for his efforts with the top appointment as the appointment of a Commissioner is a political one. Also, it is reported that an active army Colonel is in the running to become the next Commissioner of Police. He is, however, fearful that if he is appointed the ‘snipers’ will undermine him like what they did to Nigel Hoppie.

The appointment of a Commissioner of Police is the sole responsibility of the President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Article 211 (1) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana states, “The Commissioner of Police and every Deputy Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Police Service Commission after the Chairperson has consulted with other members of the Commission.” As I alluded to above the Police Service Commission is not lawfully and duly constituted. To make it lawful the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission must be appointed as a member of the Police Service Commission. There is no Public Service Commission. Hence, no Chairperson.The ball is now in the court of the President. I hope that he plays it early and legally.

Sincerely,
Clinton Conway
Assistant Commissioner of Police
(Retired)

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