Dear Editor,
With the Georgetown City Constabulary getting ready to celebrate the major milestone of the 180th anniversary of its existence, one can only feel a sense of deep disappointment when one looks at its record of achievements.
A visit to its training complex in Water Street alone would reveal the degenerate mentality of the administration of the Council. The roof is leaking everywhere, most if not all of the window panes are missing. The dormitories are just a jumbled mess of old mangled bed frames and some grimy old mattresses; the training rooms are bereft of furnishings and educational materials; the archives are shuttered, with all of the precious archival material left to rot; and no one is servicing the stores. Indeed, the place is all but abandoned.
What has happened to the plans made two years ago to rehabilitate the facility and place emphasis on recruitment and training? Plans were announced for a Basic Recruitment Course, and refresher training for serving members to be done quarterly. What about plans to contact the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to assist in several areas? And for training to be done through the Public Service Ministry at the Critchlow Labour College and overseas? Were these just pipe dreams or part of a “carrot and stick” approach?
Does the Council have a Human Resources Manager? And if so, what is she or he doing? Why are the young bright officers of the City Constabulary not being given a chance to move up the ladder now that some of the older, and more corrupt, ones have left? Why are they being penalised for speaking up and speaking out?
The City Constabulary has to move from its present ‘Market Constable’ & ‘Sardine Police’ persona to that of a modern law enforcement agency, engaging in a broad spectrum of work, including key functions such as crime prevention, protecting property, and limiting civil and social disorder.
This is 2017, not 1837 when the Constabulary was established.
Sincerely,
Jermain Johnson
