Police ranks pay for repairs to damaged GPF vehicles
Police ranks, who were recently entrusted with the use and care of some US$2.6 million worth of crime-fighting vehicles granted to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) by the Chinese Government, were made to pay for damages caused to some the vehicles.
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had cautioned the ranks against the careless use of the vehicles, warning that charges would be laid against them for the misuse of same.
The first vehicle that was damaged
However, when contacted, the acting Public Relations Officer of the GPF, Shivpersaud Bacchus, revealed that several ranks who were involved in accidents, which caused damages to the vehicles, were all made to pay for their repairs.
When questioned as to whether charges would be laid as was made clear by Ramjattan, Bacchus stated “we cannot punish a man twice for one thing.”
Enquiries by Guyana Times for the specific number of vehicles that were damaged and repaired to date proved futile.
A Police rank of B Division in Berbice was the first to find himself in hot water after the vehicle which was entrusted to his care ended up in a nearby ditch mere days after the vehicles were rolled out.
It was reported in sections of the media that the said officer was expected to face charges. Another rank in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) was also in an accident with one of the GPF’s vehicles a day after the vehicles were handed over to that region. Ramjattan, who was back in December speaking at the rolling out ceremony of the vehicles hosted at the Tactical Service Unit (TSU) has warned “these vehicles are going to give us use for many years ahead but please take care of them! Too many times I notice even senior ranks crashing and some even dying as a result of bad driving.”
The Minister had further warned that “standard operating procedures are now being implemented, one of which is if you drive badly and damage the vehicles, you will be charged.” The GPF was granted 56 pick-up trucks, 44 motorcycles, 35 ATVs as well as five buses, carrying the signature blue and white finish and sirens. Accompanying these was a total of 550 items of protective gear, 70 computers (both desktops and laptops) along with other technical equipment; all aimed at improving the efficiency of the country’s crime-fighting force.
