CRIME CHIEF, Senior Superintendent, Wendell Blanhum has proceeded on annual leave and Senior Superintendent and Commander of ‘F’ Division, Ravindradat Budhram, has been appointed to act in his place, as of Tuesday, police sources have confirmed.

And, Deputy Commander of Berbice, Senior Superintendent, Edmond Cooper will act as

Commander of “F” Division in Budram’s absence. Blanhum’s proceeding on leave has come at a time when President David Granger is reviewing the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the alleged assassination plot against him, which he said have exposed serious deficiencies and weaknesses in the force that will be corrected.

The President had noted that the CoI was not meant to be a witch-hunt but that work has to be done to ensure that the law enforcement agency, is more professional and efficient in the execution of its duties and responsibilities, “[The Commission] made some very strong recommendations.

Even persons who have been following the day-to-day reports would have realised that there has been a significant lapse in professionalism at the high levels of the Guyana Police Force, so these are matters of concern. It has brought to light some serious deficiencies…The important thing is to ensure that we get information so that we can correct faults. It is not a witch-hunt. We are trying to make the law enforcement agencies more efficient,” he said.

President Granger, in November 2016, on the Ministry of the Presidency’s television programme, “The Public Interest”, had said that while the GPF had not received the attention it deserved in the past, his administration would work to make it a sound, professional organisation.