Dear Editor,

SOMETHING does not seem to make sense about the Georgetown City Constabulary. After years now we have heard them cry out that they are extremely short of staff, and that they are constrained in carrying out their duties as a result of this, and that they are unable to attract new recruits etc.

However, just like that, all of a sudden, they are quite comfortably able to reassign fifty constables, armed to the teeth, far more than one third of their staff strength if we are to be guided by the numbers they put out, to be the enforcers of this parking meter project.

Maybe these are the house slaves Ifa Cush is talking about, trying to control the motorists who they see as the field slaves. Do they consider this parking meter project to be of higher priority than the municipal markets where shoppers and vendors conduct business each day? Do they consider it a higher priority than their municipal locations where large sums of monies are collected? Do they consider it a higher priority that the enforcement of the city’s bylaws? Or do they consider it a higher priority than stopping persons from being mugged on the streets?

I believe the City Constabulary needs to create a list of its priorities and then number them, as I doubt whether there has been a surge in recruitment leading to full staff strength. They are there to protect and to serve not to be henchmen to contractors and enforcers of special interests.
People are molested and robbed in and around our markets on a daily basis and there is hardly ever a constable in sight, yet when the many booting exercises are being effected they are right there menacing and even arresting motorists as though they are criminals.

So will they use this as an excuse once again to reengage without bidding, the private guard service that is affiliated to a serving Councillor from their municipality? Or will they use their notorious senior officer to fill the void left by these reassigned constables giving him greater opportunity to terrorise vendors, persecute business persons and shake down citizens for the smallest of infractions.

Regards
Anu Bihari