On November 7, 2017, President David Granger announced that his Government was expected to establish a new office which would be tasked with implementation of the British-funded Security Sector Reform Project (SSRP).
The President had explained that this office would have been functional this year, even though he failed to say particularly what timelines or deadlines were set to ensure that there were no further hindrances to the substantive work of the office under the US$4.9 million project, which was shelved by the former People’s Progressive Party Civic because of concerns over aspects of its scope.
The President had also announced that the entire Police Force would be overhauled, as he explained that the administrative structure of the law enforcement agency would “undergo much needed changes to allow for more effective policing”. He had even explained that the reform process of the Force was necessary, since it was within its mandate to safeguard the country and its citizens from criminal violence.
Additionally, President Granger, who served as a member of the Disciplined Services Commission of 2003, has also lobbied for the Force to carry out its work in a more professional, modern, and impartial manner.
He had even promised, back in February this year, to go ahead with plans to launch a spate of probes into what are deemed extra-judicial killings that occurred during the reign of the PPP.
Since making that pledge, two Commissions of Inquiry were established – one into the Lindo Creek Massacre, and another that dealt with an alleged plot to assassinate Mr Granger. Both CoIs were critical of the Police and the manner in which they executed their duties and their mandate. Senior officers were humiliated, and appeared to be on trial, with recommendations being made to prevent a series of malpractices.
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and other leading personalities within the coalition Government have also severely criticised the Guyana Police Force for its handling of a number of matters. Ramjattan, himself has been the subject of much public ridicule, because of his failure to arrest the crime situation through effective policy articulation, evaluation, and implementation.
It is against this backdrop that it is most unfortunate that, to date, Mr Granger’s Government has not been able to commission the new office for the SSRP, or present the spate of recommendations that were made to strengthen the law enforcement sector in Guyana. It is also even more disappointing that the President has not managed to pilot any significant reforms within the GPF outside of this SSRP, since coming to power back in May of 2015.
Nothing has changed since the PPP left office, except that it would appear — from Police statistics and reports in the media — that crime and criminality have both gone up.
What is even more alarming is the increasing number of serving ranks at various levels who have been involved in criminal activities as of recent. Last month, Police officers were slapped with fraud charges in relation to the driver’s licensing fiasco which was exposed by a member of the religious community. A Superintendent of Police was implicated in the smuggling of expensive liquor. Others were charged with robbery-under-arms and rape while performing their official duties.
There has even been an outcry about discrimination within the Guyana Police Force by junior ranks, while others have written extensively expressing the view that modern policing is being undermined in Guyana because the Government continues its covert process of politicising the Force.
All of this paint a holistic picture of the state of policing in Guyana, and while the Government continues to throw more resources in form of cars and weaponry at the Force, it is not addressing the core problems, which are primarily linked to the ongoing popular culture within the Force, the quality of training being accessed by ranks, and the failure of the Force’s top management to effectively pilot a programme of modern policing and development.
Mr Granger must redouble his efforts to pilot not just the British reforms, but a holistic programme aimed at creating a paradigm shift within the GPF and a modern institution which functions and protects public order and law. The Force must operate on principle, ethics, rationale and reason in order to regain public trust. It must be seen as humane and people-oriented if it is to be effective in the fight against the onslaught of crime.
