…Hold on Police promotions ‘perfect and correct’ – Ramjattan

Zena Henry

COMMISSIONER of Police, Seelall Persaud, did not include Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine in his recommended list for promotions, despite him being the second most senior person in the police force and acting in the capacity of police chief in Persaud’s absence.

Ramnarine was not slated for elevation, but Persaud has recommended to the Police Service Commission the promotion of Assistant Commissioners Clifton Hicken and Nigel Hoppie to the very senior post of Deputy Commissioner.

The loggerhead between the Police Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner Ramnarine is no secret, with the two more recently declaring publicly the differences that exist in their work relationship.  The Officers’ statements were made during the Commission of Inquiry into an alleged assassination plot against the president to ascertain the manner in which the investigation was handled.

While Ramnarine’s view was that the police had not conducted proper investigations into the assassination claim, the police chief expressed confidence that his men had done a good job.

President Granger has asked however, that the police commission put a hold on the promotions. Some sources believe that Ramnarine’s absence on the list, and his “sidelining” by the police commissioner could be among the reasons for the pause in promotions.

Minister with responsibility for Public Security, Kehmraj Ramjattan has expressed his agreement with President Granger stating that his actions to put a hold on the promotions were “perfect and correct.”

Ramjattan told the Guyana Chronicle Monday, that in his view, the ongoing COI was not what promoted the hold on police promotions but a lot of issues had arisen in the manner in which policemen were being promoted.

He said that while the Commissioner of Police makes recommendations for the relevant posts, it is the president in consultation with the opposition leader, who appoints the commissioner and his deputy.

In the President’s letter, no specifics were given as to why he wanted the promotions put on hold.

The Public Security Minister noted however that among the issues surrounding police promotions was the fact that police ranks with poor history were being elevated, pointing to the police ranks who had tortured a teenage boy by pouring a liquid on his genitals and setting it alight, as an example.

He pointed out that the Force was seeing the promotion of police ranks who were not even recommended and this was a complaint made by both the Police Commissioner and Assistant Ramnarine. The matter is so that last year, the force saw an influx of inspectors who are more than 50 being promoted and added to the existing lot.

He said some “unhealthy” decisions were being made regarding those promotions. He hinted too that the life of the current police commission had less than a month left and there was no need for a rush in promotions when even the leadership of the force had expressed concern.

In the past, there have been many complaints that senior ranks were being held back, while some junior ranks were surpassing them.