Story and photos by Leroy Smith

PRESIDENT David Granger, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces yesterday hailed deceased Assistant Commissioner of Police Balram Persaud as a police officer who was very competent, and had a wealth of experience.

The President was at the time commenting on the passing of the senior police officer who succumbed to injuries he had sustained from a two-week-old accident.
According to the Head of State, Persaud has had a very long history of service to the Guyana Police Force and people of this country. He himself, he said, has been dealing with him more often, whenever he’s had the occasion to perform the functions of ‘Top Cop’ at meetings, and more specifically the National Security Committee.
“He displayed a wealth of knowledge and experience, and his advice at these meetings was always valued,” President Granger said, adding that the now deceased police officer was a very senior element within the organisation, and his relationship with the community and his duties performed were exceptional.
The president said that Assistant Commissioner of Police Balram Persaud would be greatly missed.
Meanwhile, for Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud, the death of his colleague was not only untimely, but a sad occasion for his family, the Force, and the country, since his condition seemed to have been improving of late.

He said it was very heart-breaking for him to see a man who has served the country so well and in a dedicated manner die just months before heading into retirement, making it impossible for him to enjoy the benefits that he so rightfully deserved.
Persaud extended special sympathy to the very young family of Assistant Commissioner of Police Balram Persaud.
Relecting also on the interactions he had with him while serving as Head of State, was former President, Donald Ramotar who told the Guyana Chronicle that Balram Persaud was always professional in his engagements.
He said that he not only performed exceptionally as a police officer, and while he was known to be a firm senior officer, he would always find a way to balance police work with community relations.
Noting that the loss of Persaud is a great blow to the Guyana Police Force as well as his immediate family, Ramotar seized the opportunity to extend his condolences to the relatives, friends and those other persons who were close to the now dead senior cop.

The Guyana Chronicle also sought and got a comment from another colleague of AC Persaud’s, former Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell, who said, “Persaud was a very dedicated guy who did his duties to the best of his ability.” He too noted that Persaud’s passing comes at a very serious time within the Guyana Police Force, and when the organisation is still going through that process of bridging the gap between itself and the communities it serves.
The former ‘Top Cop’ said what is even more hurtful is that although Persaud would have worked so many years and dedicated most of his life to Guyana, his death comes at a time when he was preparing to head into retirement and is not around to enjoy the benefits for the years of service that he provided to this great country.
Brumell said that Persaud has some very young children, and he is now even more concerned for those children who are now without a biological father, as he also stressed that Persaud also served as a father to many within the Guyana Police Force.
Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Omesh Satyanand, in his tribute said he feels the pain of the Guyana Police Force and more so the family of the late policeman in this their time of grief.
He said the Service Commission is also saddened by the passing, as it reflects a void now being left within the police force coming just one week after the commission had made steps to ensure that strength of the organisation, especially at the management level was what is required. He described the contribution of Balram Persaud as outstanding and expressed the hope that the Guyana Police Force would take the necessary action once the time of mourning has passed to ensure that the void left by the deceased senior police officer is filled in a timely manner.