Police Promotions

Aug 11, 2025 Editorial, News

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Kaieteur News – Vice Presidential candidate for the APNU, Ganesh Mahipaul last week spoke candidly about the challenges within Guyana’s governance framework, particularly the infiltration of the public sector by politicians.

He emphasised the need for stronger, more independent institutions that function effectively regardless of which party forms the government, noting that for too long, systems and structures that have been put in place are being infiltrated by politicians. He noted too that every time there is a change of government, the structure and system become vulnerable and politicians then take control of the public sector and the professionals are not allowed to function effectively. Mahipaul also stressed that the role of politicians should remain focused on policymaking, while execution, transparency, and accountability should be upheld by professionals. He argued that strengthening this separation is essential to safeguarding national institutions for the benefit of all citizens.

We at this newspaper endorse fully the sentiments of Mr. Mahipaul and draw attention to one area that needs urgent fixing-the Guyana Police Force. For years there have been calls for serious reform within the force, but not much has been done and as a result, whichever government is in power has been able to manipulate the force and key officers for their own benefits. We are seeing this playing out before our eyes at the moment.

Two weeks ago, President Irfaan Ali announced a move to promote long-overlooked policemen and women, many of whom were denied advancement for years. It must be noted that the promotion of these ranks falls squarely within the realm of the Commissioner of Police and the Police Service Commission and it must be of concern as to why these officers were overlooked for years-some as many as three decades. This move by the president has rightly drawn skepticism. While the act may seem like long overdue recognition, the timing raises serious concerns.

That these promotions are only coming now, on the eve of an election cycle, suggests a strategic political ploy rather than a genuine correction of past oversight. For years, these same officers were left stagnating in the system without proper acknowledgment or reward. The sudden burst of promotions, tied conveniently to a renewed interest in winning support from law enforcement, a group traditionally skeptical of the ruling PPPC reeks of opportunism rather than leadership.

This pattern reflects a broader issue in governance of which, Mahipaul addressed: the instrumentalisation of public servants to secure votes, rather than to serve justice or fairness. If the administration was genuinely concerned about equity within the ranks of the police force, these officers would have been promoted based on merit years ago, not paraded now as symbols of benevolence to curry favour with a typically disenchanted voting bloc. Such tactics not only undermine the integrity of the promotion process but also insult the intelligence of the very officers being courted. Using public service recognition as a transactional tool in the political marketplace diminishes both the office of the President and the morale of the police force.

No wonder very few Guyanese, if asked to give an objective assessment of the Guyana Police Force, would have any good thing to say. Some of the servicemen and women would also find it hard to find positive things about their organisation. Poor pay, substandard workplaces (police stations), armed gangs, drug smuggling, and the ever-present threat of being posted into the interior are only a smattering of the challenges faced by the average police rank. Citizens would tell you of unprofessional conduct of many of the ranks; their deception and corrupt ways. So, the question has to be asked: “Why is it that policemen do not receive more respect from those same average citizens?” The answer is because their government does not respect them either. The fact that refuses to go away is that the GPF has been used as a political football and a political whip by one government after the other, PPPC, PNCR, no exception. Police reform, which involves professionalising the force that has meat to it will eliminate that, with no sacred cows. But the PPP/C and President Ali do not have the stomach for that standard, that reality- their way is total control and handouts much like the willy-nilly promotions of the police ranks.

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• APNU, Editorial, Ganesh Mahipaul, police, promotions

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