People’s Progressive Party General Secretary, Clement Rohee who while being Minister of Home Affairs, had a public confrontation with Assistant Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine has again targeted the officer ahead of the impending promotion of ranks of the Guyana Police Force. Speaking at his party’s weekly news conference on Monday, Rohee talked about the many disciplinary matters relating to police officers that have not been addressed and singled out Ramnarine – long seen as a prospect to lead the force as one of those officers whose matter has not been determined. “It is to be recalled that a disciplinary matter concerning Assistant Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine is among several disciplinary matters slated for consideration at the level of the Disciplinary Authority. Concerns have been expressed about persons whose disciplinary matters are yet to be heard and who have not been subjected to integrity tests being promoted in 2016,” Rohee told the news conference.

Back in March 2012 while being the Minister of Home Affairs, Rohee had declared a loss of confidence in Ramnarine and had urged the then Police Commissioner Leroy Brummell to discipline him over public statements. “…The Minister of Home Affairs hereby declares that he has lost confidence in the Guyana Police Force’s Commander at ‘C’ Division and, as a consequence, has written to the Commissioner of Police (ag) drawing to his attention his concerns about the conduct of Assistant Commissioner Ramnarine and has requested that action be taken at his level, in accordance with the Police (Discipline) Act Chap 17:01.”

Rohee’s ire was raised when Ramnarine had responded to criticisms triggered by his public statements made in relation to a $90 million allocation to police for the 2011 elections activities. Rohee had accused Ramnarine of breaching the Guyana Police Force’s Standing Orders by making the information public. However, Ramnarine, who said he spoke out because of concern over the welfare of the ranks, argued that the Standing Orders do not supersede his fundamental right to freedom of expression. “The Ministry of Home Affairs stands firm in its view that all members of the Guyana Police Force without exception from Constable to Commander must uphold the Standing Orders of the Guyana Police Force,” Rohee had said in his statement, adding that Ramnarine is wrong in seeking to make himself an exception from a long established “custom and practice” and to cover that exception “under the guise of his constitutional rights” as a citizen. Rohee further noted that Ramnarine, given his powers under the Police Act, is no ordinary citizen, while noting that he serves at the highest level of the force. According to Rohee then Ramnarine had chosen to set “a bad example” for the force under cover of his constitutional rights and declared that his actions are “careless, mutinous and unlawful.”
PROMOTIONS
Meanwhile, addressing the issue of promotions, Rohee said in light of the impending announcement of the 2016 promotion list for members of the Guyana Police Force, “the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) wishes to remind that former President Donald Ramotar in addressing the Opening Session of the Annual Officers’ Conference of the Guyana Police Force in April 2015 had announced that persons tipped for promotion will require integrity testing. Mr. Ramotar had emphasised that the move was aimed at weeding out corrupt persons from the law enforcement agency. In this connection, Ramotar had stated that; “In future, for appointment to some senior positions, there must be some form of integrity testing”. He said since then there has been no indication whether the Granger administration has taken up the mantle and has proceeded in that direction. Moreover, Rohee said little or nothing is known about a number of disciplinary matters that have been before the Police Service Commission for some time now. He said several disciplinary matters are before a Disciplinary Authority set up by the then Minister of Home Affairs and headed by former Senior Magistrate Cecil Sullivan. “Mr. Sullivan’s contract was terminated by Minister Ramjattan and as a result the work of the Authority ended prematurely thus placing in limbo those disciplinary matters that should be addressed urgently in the interest of the Force.”
CABINET REPORT
Additionally, Rohee said his party has noted the remarks made by President Granger at the annual breakfast at the Force Headquarters on Tuesday December 16, 2015, where he is reported to have told his audience; “The Minister of Public Security is obliged to report to Cabinet every single Tuesday morning on the state of the Police Force and on their success in overcoming the crime problem…… we haven’t told the police you are paid to do a job, go ahead and do it. We sit down and plan and strategise to make sure that Guyana can become a safe country for all our citizens.”
According to Rohee this statement is in stark contrast to the public position of APNU+AFC made when they were in the opposition and had hurled accusations at the PPP government to the effect that there was political interference in the planning, strategising and operations of the Guyana Police Force though there was no evidence to this effect. “Now there is open and blatant interference in all three areas. Rohee argued that under the PPP/C such intrusions were resisted by the hierarchy of the force and this was manifested in several formal communications to the Ministry of Home Affairs, and at the level of monthly Ministry of Home Affairs/Guyana Police Force review meetings to assess implementation of the Strategic Plan of the Guyana Police Force.
“Today, it is interesting to note the abandonment of resistance to political intrusion, and ending the allegation of interference in police operations, planning and strategising. In other words, from all indications the public order mandate of the Ministry of Public Security has been usurped by the National Security Council at the Ministry of the Presidency where all the “security experts” are ensconced rather than at Force Headquarters, and the Ministry of Public Security.” Further, Rohee said this disclosure means that Ramjattan’s wings have been further clipped. “His portfolio of responsibility to “give general orders and direction to the Commissioner of Police on public order and security matters has been diluted by the National Security Council chaired by Granger.”