Dear Editor,

SINCE the 15th of September 2003 under the PPP Government, I made an application to the Ministry of Legal Affairs to be appointed as Justice of Peace and Commissioner of Oaths to Affidavits. I did the police interview twice and my application was sent to the Office of the President but nothing happened after that.
When this new Government came into Office in 2015, I made an enquiry at the Ministry of the Presidency pertaining to my JP and CoA application. I was advised by Tashandra Inniss from the Ministry of the Presidency in an email dated October 27, 2015, to submit a new application for JP & CoA to The Ministry of Legal Affairs. I submitted my application to the Ministry of Legal Affairs with two references from two attorneys–Collis D. Baveghems and Keavon U. Bess–on November 5th, 2015.

On the 29th of February 2016, I received a letter from the Ministry of Legal Affairs dated February 17, 2016, signed by MS. Demi Hipplewith. In the letter I was asked to go to the nearest police station for an interview and to have my finger prints taken. I called the B.V. Police Station and was told to go to CID Headquarters to take my finger prints, since they do not have any finger print officer at B.V. Station. I went to CID Headquarters and was interviewed by CID Officers, Nedd and Thomas (only one names they gave to me). They took my finger prints and interviewed me and sent me back with a copy of the prints to B.V. Station. I went back to B.V.at 2:30 PM and was interviewed by Inspector Smith and CID Officer Frazer, who took two pages (of) written statement from me. About one month later, I was called to the station to do another narcotics interview.

I was reliably informed by Inspector Smith that she sent up my Police Report to CID Headquarters and Police General Office, who will eventually send my report to the Ministry of Legal Affairs. After a year, I enquired from the Ministry of Legal Affairs about the status of my JP & CoA appointment. They said no police report was sent to them. I called CID Headquarters (and) they put me on to Police General Office who told me to call back B.V. who then told me to call Cove & John Station. They then told me to call Sparendaam who told me to call back Police General Office. Why all this senseless pushing around?
A police corporal from General Office told me they found my report and was taking it to Commissioner Seelall’s office who will send over my Police Report to the Ministry of Legal Affairs. I called Legal Affairs and Demi told me they will follow up my report. To date, I completed my Police Interview and Finger Prints since March 7th, 2016 and until now in actually two years, no report was sent to The Ministry of Legal Affairs. In my recent calls, Legal Affairs told me my Police Report was still at Police Commissioner Seelall’s Office. I called that office and was told my Police Report was sent to Ministry of Legal Affairs months ago.

My questions are: who is telling me the truth. Is it Ministry of Legal Affairs? Or is it the Guyana Police Force? I am very much disappointed at the Guyana Police Force. In this day and age of technology, my police report could have been easily emailed to the Ministry of Legal Affairs in a PDF file document in less than a week. But until today we hand-write everything. The Guyana Police Force needs to step up their game in technology and computer literacy. I note with interest our police officers hand-write everything. From 2003 to 2017 (14 years), I am still waiting to be appointed as Justice of the Peace and Commissioner of Oaths to Affidavits. Can the Ministry of Legal Affairs follow up my police report. I am also calling on ACP David Ramnarine and Commissioner Seelall to inquire why my Police Report was not sent over to Ministry of Legal Affairs in nearly two years. Maybe it was sent over and misplaced. I look forward to hearing from the Guyana Police Force and The Ministry of Legal Affairs.
God bless you all.
Regards
Rev. Gideon Cecil