…in the Police Force
It’s not coincidental that the competition for headlines in this country is divided between politics and police abuses – and not necessarily in that order. They’re both connected as we can see from the June 26 headlines about CRIME CHIEF Alves being relieved from duties. The fella was only appointed to his position a year ago, after President Granger’s personal intervention following a one-man Commission of Inquiry (COI) into some cockamamie two-year old “assassination” plot against him.
Alves had been Head of the Presidential Guard and, therefore, had extensive personal contact with President Granger. He was also a very significant— in light of present revelations— head of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Berbice “B” Division. The question, of course, is why was he judged to be better than his predecessor Crime Chief Blanhaum, when Granger had announced he was looking for “UNBRIBABLE” officers in the top brass??
After the Paul Slowe COI, when Granger signalled that he was going to “shake up” that top brass, the Leader of the Opposition rang alarm bells about the propriety of the telegraphed moves, since that was within the remit of the Police Service Commission (PSC). Jagdeo opined that Guyana was well on its way to becoming a “Banana Republic” since Granger was ignoring a slew of officially commissioned Police Reform Studies and only making changes based on a perceived threat to himself. While the Opposition Leader didn’t explicitly say it, it was clear that Granger was going to appoint Police Officers whose prime qualification were personal loyalty to him and not those who were necessarily best suited for their substantive positions.
Before Granger actually had Alves appointed by the new Private Sector Commission (PSC) which he constituted under the head of the COI, Paul Slowe, his Public Security Minister Ramjattan had this to say about the incumbent Blanhaum: “I notice a lot of people are saying that we are trying to get rid of Blanhaum. Blanhaum is a serious pillar in this police force. Whatever it is, understand that he has done a fantastic job in the opinion of the Government, in the opinion of the minister.” We all know that Ramjattan was basically a rubber stamp, but jeez, at least Granger could’ve been a tad more sensitive!!
But they do say that karma’s a bitch! What’s coming out from whistleblowers from within the GPF is that Alves had been running a force within the force for years – a corrupt force that didn’t stop at shakedowns of drug dealers, but went on to be in cahoots with bandits and actually acted as hit men for hire!! Reports are naming places, persons and crimes in which Alves was alleged to have been involved.
What does Granger have to say about “his man”??
…in politics
In the PPP’s 23 years, of course there were rotten apples – even “ganga eggs”—among some appointed to high office and Government departments. Not as many as during the 28 years of the first PNC regime, of course, but many folks felt a shakeup was needed and the rest became history in 2015. But even in the eyes of their most fervent supporters, over the past four years of this iteration of the PNC, there has never been so much stolen by so (comparatively) few on a per capita basis!!
But the “bad apple” syndrome isn’t restricted to raping the state coffers; it extends to the lack of scruples, much less principles, in the PNC-led Government politicians – in terms of acting in the country’s interests. And it’s not just the PNC, who after all, are congenitally predisposed to be treacherous. Look at the AFC’s motley crew, wasn’t it Trotman who sold our patrimony for a mess of pottage? And Nagamooto, for Larwah?
And Ramjattan gratuitously endorsing Granger’s unilateral appointment of Patterson?
A pox on them!!
…in lawyers
Your Eyewitness doesn’t know much about the Code of Ethics for lawyers in the Caribbean, but can’t someone haul Basil Williams’ sorry a55 before some disciplinary committee for lying through his teeth to the CCJ?
