MONDAY was the first official working day of Guyana’s new Executive President, Mr David Granger, and within hours of his getting down to business, the administration of the Guyana Police Force was busy executing transfers and reshuffles.The Guyana Chronicle was last evening reliably informed by sources close to the Government that Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud has been asked to stop the transfers and reshuffling until a Minister of Home Affairs has been identified, sworn in and appointed.
On Monday, several senior police officers were called to meet with the “Top Cop”; were informed about their new postings, and subsequently received letters to that effect.
Police transfers are done at the discretion of the Commissioner of Police. Yesterday, the Guyana Chronicle was informed that many of the senior police ranks who received transfer letters were not pleased with the move to have them reshuffled.
The most notable transfer was that of Assistant Commissioner of Police Leslie James out of the Criminal Investigations Department which he had headed for about a year to make way for his recently appointed deputy, Wendell Blanhum to fill the post. James is expected to take up a position in the commissioner’s office.
Other transfers which were to take effect included Senior Superintendent Whitney Bacchus from the department responsible for disciplinary matters to the office of Officer- in-Charge of operations.
Assistant Commissioner James is to replace Bacchus in that position, which, according to one police source, is a junior position for an assistant commissioner and is seen as a demotion.
Senior superintendent Linden Alves has been transferred to the Office of the President where he will be acting as deputy to Assistant Commissioner of Police Brian Joseph, who was selected by the administration to head the Presidential Guard Service responsible for providing security to the President and Prime Minister.
Senior Superintendent Steven Mansell, who presently serves as deputy commander of ‘D’ Division is expected to head that division as commander, while Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam will take over ‘C’ Division. Commander ‘C’ Division, Christopher Griffith, has been posted to ‘B’ Division to take over from Brian Joseph, while Senior Superintendent Errol Watts is expected to serve as Griffith’s deputy in Berbice.
The David Granger administration has made it very clear that it is not on a witch- hunt, and in a move that has since shocked observers , publicly stated that it will retain all employees within the State media apparatus. This includes GINA, NCN and the Guyana Chronicle, while the same holds true for the Office of the President.

By Leroy Smith