President Ali swears in members of Police Service, Integrity Commissions

…says appointees have character and skills to execute duties
– Opp Leader threatens legal action against appointments

In keeping with his constitutional duties, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday swore in members of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Integrity Service Commission who were approved through the parliamentary process.
During a ceremony at the Office of the President, the new members of the Police and Integrity Service Commissions took their oaths of office, administered by Acting Chief Magistrate, Judy Latchman, before the President.
The new members of the PSC who were sworn in are: Attorney-at-Law Lloyd Mark Conway, businessman Ernesto Choo-a-Fat, and Pastor Patrick Findlay, who will serve as Chairman. Businessman Hakeem Mohammed, who was also supposed to be on the commission, will be sworn in at a later date.
Meanwhile, the Integrity Service Commission has Demerara Bank Corporate Secretary Chandra Gajraj as Chairperson, along with Mohamed Haniff, Attorney-at-Law and former Solicitor General Kim Kyte-Thomas, Hardesh Tiwari and Wayne Chris Bowman as members.

In his address, the President recounted the process that led up to these appointments. The President explained that these names have already been approved by the National Assembly. According to President Ali, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton’s requests, including those for the CVs of the nominees, were honoured.
“On April 29, as is required by the Constitution, I invited the Leader of the Opposition to consult on the appointment of members of various bodies and commissioners. On May 9, the Leader of the Opposition responded, asking for more information. Specifically, for the agencies and the names of the (nominees). On that very day, we responded,” President Ali said.
“The President has no discretion. What I sought to do was propose a name from those approved by the National Assembly. On May 11, the Leader of the Opposition responded saying that my response was bereft of information… notwithstanding the fact I submitted all the information requested in his letter of May 10.”

President Ali further explained that on May 12, he responded by asking for what information was required. He went on to say the Opposition Leader requested a number of things at their meeting of May 13, including the CVs of the nominees. All 14 CVs were subsequently sent to Norton.

“On May 27, I then invited the Leader of the Opposition to the second physical meeting. We received no response, nor objections to the CV’s. Then, at 2:25 PM, fifteen minutes after our scheduled meeting, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs received a letter from the Opposition Leader saying just one thing. The President should tell him the grounds on which he makes the appointments.”
During a press conference earlier on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton threatened to take legal action if the appointments went ahead without a second consultation. President Ali has already made it clear that the development of the country will not be held hostage by political objects. On Monday, he had labelled the Opposition Leader’s actions to skip the meeting that day as “immature”.
President Ali had suspended the PSC after its then Chairman, Paul Slowe, and then Commissioner, retired Assistant Police Commissioner Clinton Conway, were slapped with fraud charges.
They, along with other retired and serving members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), have been implicated in a $10 million fraud over duties delegated to them for revising the Police Force’s raft of Standing Orders. It is alleged that they collected payments amounting to $10 million, but never provided the Force with a raft of revised Standing Orders.
In addition, Slowe is facing three counts of sexual assault. It is alleged that on three occasions in 2019, at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, he sexually assaulted a senior Policewoman by rubbing her left leg and foot without her consent.
The PSC is vested with the authority to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in high offices within the Police Force, or even remove them from office.
The PSC also deals with the promotion of Policemen above the rank of Inspector. The Government, on June 28, 2021, rejected as “unlawful and illegal” a list of purported promotions of members of the Police Force issued by the PSC.
Meanwhile, the Integrity Commission is one component of Government that helps in the pursuit of honesty and transparency in the administration. Its mission is stated as “Securing the Integrity of Persons in Public Life”.