City constables to be trained by Police Force

PRESIDENT David Granger has observed the “unprofessional” conduct of officers within the City Constabulary Department and has since recommended training for them. Mayor Patricia Chase-Green made the announcement at the Council’s most recent fortnightly statutory meeting at City Hall.
“We received a letter from the Office of the President offering assistance to City Constabulary officers,” the Mayor reported.
According to her, the President has observed the unprofessional conduct of some of the officers and has recommended training at the Felix Austin Training Centre.
Just recently, vendors at various municipal markets complained about the harassment they regularly experience at the hands of City Constables. The vendors have accused the officers of making their lives miserable when they refuse to pay them bribes.
Furthermore, the Georgetown Mayor has accused the very officers of compromising the City Council’s decisions with some minibus drivers as it relates to efforts to bring the lawlessness at many bus parks under control.
“If you look at the records, there are allegations that constables are not professional in the execution of their duties. You can’t have your foot soldiers out there not carrying out the duties of the Council,” she offered.
According to the Mayor, the issue was raised again recently when certain bus drivers, who felt they were not being afforded the same privileges as others, reported the issue to the City Council. “Those things have to be corrected,” she posited.
It has been observed that some minibus operators are not conducting their business under the new guidelines that were recently established. Some refuse to join the line of empty minibuses and await their turn, while others offload passengers where they are not supposed to.
Meanwhile, Chief Constable Andrew Foo is adamant that those vendors who are affected by bribery on the part of the constabulary officers ought to lodge official reports, and he guaranteed that those will be investigated.
Provision is made in the law that even those who give a bribe can be charged as well, he pointed out. He said vendors need to understand that if any officer demands a bribe, they have a responsibility to report it.
“But they don’t come in. There is an agreement between the vendors and officers, but whenever the officers have to act, the vendors come up with all sorts of allegations. Now that there is a large scale movement of people, they are now raising allegations. People who give and receive a bribe can be charged. But no one is coming forward to make official reports. They go to the politicians instead to lodge their complaints, but that’s not right. So it remains just an allegation if no one comes in. Why do the vendors do business at the level of a constabulary officer?” Foo questioned. (Telesha Ramnarine)

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