M&CC to improve services of City Constabulary Department

In light of the findings and recommendations out of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) conducted into City Hall last year, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is now on a path to improve the services offered by the City Constabulary Department.

This was taken into consideration after a number of complaints have surfaced in relation to the safety of persons traversing and operating within the capital city.
It is against this backdrop that the City Council on Monday passed a No-Confidence Motion against Chief Constable of the Department, Andrew Foo to have him dismissed from the position as Head of the Constabulary Department.
The motion was moved by Constituency Councillor Denroy Tudor during the City Council’s statutory meeting held at City Hall.
Tudor noted that the motion was aimed at changing what he described as “lack of management” presently dominating the security department, and has been the cause of poor work outputted by the officers. According to him, with the motion passed, the Constabulary Department can now act with efficiency and serve the nation’s citizens well.
“We have seen what has transpired within this wonderful Council as it relates to the City Constabulary. This laissez-faire understanding or lack of management coming at the level of the City Constabulary has transferred to most of those officers. So we want to ensure that we change that…with this motion passed, persons cannot only just feel the presence of the City Constabulary working in efficiency for the residents of Georgetown but certainly understand the role of the City Constabulary” Tudor explained.
Furthermore, the Councillor disclosed that a recommendation made at a recent committee meeting to have a security plan drafted fell on deaf ears, and this had led to the numerous complaints from vendors and residents in relation to the safety of the environment.
“No security plan was put in place for Russell square, and we had residents, vendors there that have been complaining tirelessly as it relates to these issues. We are trying to ensure that our vendors can move comfortably, we are trying to ensure that our residents that traverse the Stabroek Square can be able to move without any cause of fear and apprehension….this motion is aimed at ensuring that we see a change within this Council,” he asserted.
In 2018, Foo was summoned before the CoI led by Justice Cecil Kennard (ret’d), and it was later revealed in the CoI’s final report that oral submissions made by the Chief Constable contained conflicting statements. It was then stated in the report that Foo lacks credibility, integrity, competence, and should be dismissed.
In the previous year, City Hall’s Legal Affairs and Security Committee had recommended that the Chief Constable along with the ASP, Virjanand Gafur, the supervisor of investigations, be sent on 14 days leave for serious neglect of duty in relation to their roles in investigating sexual assault involving a minor at the City Constabulary.
These are among the reasons which led to the No-Confidence Motion being passed. The motion was carried by 19 council members, two voted against it and three abstained.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Eketa Edwards, who pointed out that Foo has failed to effectively carry out his role.
“The Chief Constable has failed to put effective systems in place, it is evident that it is a management problem and the city Department is not being managed effectively…the Department should be delivering high-quality policing services deterring crime by engaging in effective partnerships.” Edwards posited.