Police Commander removed from duties after refusing to evict int’l observers

…“he deemed the orders unlawful” – Police source

Assistant Police Commissioner, Edgar Thomas has been removed from his commanding officer post for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Sub-division A with immediate effect after refusing to execute a decision, which he opined was unlawful.

A source close to the Commander said that on Thursday night, an order was given by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to remove both international and local observers along with Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) appointed Commissioner from the Region Four Returning Officer’s (RO) office at Hadfield and High Streets, Georgetown.
According to a source in the top brass of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), after the instruction was handed down, the Commander related that such a move would be unlawful while pointing out that to execute such an order would also escalate the already high tension at the location.
“Thomas and at least one Deputy Police Commissioner discussed whether it was legal for him to do that and he stated to his superiors that in his opinion and in the level of professionalism, he didn’t have the authority to remove them. He did communicate it to his seniors but the order was given for him to be permanently removed as Commander immediately after he expressed his opinion,” the source said.
Further, this publication was told that after the APC assessed the situation on the ground on Thursday night, he opined that the persons should not have been removed and made a “judgement call” not to carry out the order.
“Although they closed off, those persons in the building asked the then Commander Thomas to stay in the building to see that the Statements of Polls were secured properly before leaving. But the order was that they be removed immediately without observing and ensuring the integrity of the documents there. He made the right choice to ensure democracy and transparency and also he felt, in all his years of experience, that it would have been unlawful at that point,” the source added.
Following APC Thomas’ refusal to carry out the orders, a rank junior to him was sent to clear the building, while he was relieved of his duties as Commander.
Deputy Commander Phillip Azure has since been placed as acting Commander of Region Four, while a Superintendent of Police has been elevated to Deputy Commander in the interim.
Just months ago, APC Thomas was placed in the Division after Assistant Commissioner of Police Marlon Chapman went into retirement. He was promoted to that position based on his exemplar and stellar performance in the GPF over the years.