After some six months of leave, the Commissioner of the Guyana Police Force, Seelall Persaud will be resuming his duties today.
Both the substantive Top Cop and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan confirmed on Sunday that Persaud was set to return to work.
“Yes, that’s correct; he will be returning tomorrow… He is going to resume duty tomorrow until he retires,” Ramjattan told Guyana Times. Persaud is scheduled to retire in April of this year.
Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud
Persaud had proceeded on four months’ vacation leave and was slated to return to work on November 24, 2017. However, he was asked to remain on leave “in the interest of the public” by the Public Security Minister.
In a letter that was made public, Ramjattan instructed Persaud to go on “special leave” until further notice in the interest of the public, so as to allow for the continuation of initiatives and innovations being pursued by the Guyana Police Force’s temporary administration.
That move was translated by commentators as Persaud getting the boot following the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger.
However, the Head of State had subsequently explained that the Top Cop was not asked to proceed on administrative leave rather he was merely asked to use up his remaining annual leave. He noted that the coalition Government was not in favour of public servants accumulating leave which sometimes resulted in them requesting payment for that time.
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan
“Right now, there is nothing abnormal or irregular about Mr Seelall Persaud going on leave. The leave is due to him; he is not being sent on administrative leave; the leave is due to him and he should enjoy it,” he added.
On March 29, 2017, Andriff Gillard reported to the Police that his friend and neighbour, Nizam Khan, had offered him $7 million to assassinate the President. He said the offer was made during a conversation between Khan and himself after he had approached Khan to borrow $6 million to purchase a property.
Following the allegation, President Granger commissioned an inquiry to investigate how the Police had done their investigation of the allegation, and to make recommendations to address flaws and shortcomings of the Police Force.
Retired Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Slowe headed the CoI. In his recommendations, Slowe suggested that disciplinary action be taken against Police Commissioner Persaud and that he be made to resign and investigated for perjury.
The Commission found that a proper investigation was not conducted into the allegation made by Gillard, owing to the interference of Persaud. Slowe reported that the response by the Police was conditioned by the fact that Imran Khan, brother of the accused, has a close relationship with Persaud and other senior ranks of the Police Force.
In addition, the Commission found that Imran had considerable influence in the decisions of Persaud in relation to promotions and transfers, which ultimately resulted in the investigative ranks being apprehensive.
“The Commission recommends that Commissioner Seelall Persaud should be made to resign his position as the Commissioner of Police for the Guyana Police Force, under such terms and conditions that His Excellency considers appropriate. Failing which, proceedings should be initiated in accordance with Article 225 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to have him removed from the office for misbehaviour,” the report stated.
It was also recommended that Persaud be investigated for perjury since he told the CoI that he first knew about the allegation after 16:00h on March 29, 2017 in spite of Assistant Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken testifying that he informed Persaud of the allegation around 10:00h that morning.
However, Minister Ramjattan had stated that he was not in agreement with all of the recommendations of the report, and noted that before they were acted upon, they would have to be deliberated on by Cabinet.
When asked on Sunday whether any decision was made as to whether Commissioner Persaud would remain on the job until his retirement or would be asked to resign in keeping with recommendations made, the Public Security Minister replied, “He is going to resume duty tomorrow until he retires.”
