THE Commission of Inquiry into the plot to assassinate President David Granger and its findings, with specific reference to the manner in which the country’s law enforcement agency investigating this very serious allegation revealed what the departure of professionalism from its standard operating procedures, can do to its daily operations.
But even prior to this occurrence, there were non-stop public complaints levelled against the conduct of Guyana Police Force (GPF) members, both senior and junior.

Thus, it would have been remiss of the Commander-in-Chief, President David Granger, to turn a blind eye to these complaints received from citizens. Of significance were complaints from within the GPF about recommendations for promotions not done in accordance with laid-down procedures. Disturbing, also, were the recommendations sent to the Police Service Commission, regarding promotions for the top-echelon positions within the police force.

Those recommendations were of the kind that were bound to generate not only controversy, but also great dissension, with the possibility of factionalism which no service organisation could have afforded, for the negative effects it would have on its daily operations.

For President David Granger, a distinguished former army commander and an expert on national security matters, such a situation, untenable in every way, would have been unfair for him to ignore, much less to accept. Further, to have allowed such promotions to proceed would have meant accusatory fingers from sections of the police force, which no chief executive would want. There would have been, undoubtedly, similar views from sections of the public.

What those recommendations did reveal was the sordid state of affairs of the Guyana Police Force that were finally exposed by the findings of the Commission of Inquiry into the alleged assassination plot against the President. Such a sorry, but very dangerous state of affairs, are not surprising, given what had been constant political interference by the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic(PPP/C) government into the professional management of the force.

In simple language, promotions given on considerations other than merit in any service institution should not be countenanced, or be allowed, because of the attendant serious consequences, leading to a diminution of professional standards; a disincentive for wanting to give the kind of daily personnel service — all with the cumulative effect of dissatisfaction, impacting on the totality of the GPF’s effectiveness. Also, no service should be led by leaders whose promotions have not been merited. This can only result in a leadership crisis, which is not good for a national police force.

Certainly, President Granger understands what promotional merit means; and since he has been profoundly consistent in advocating for a very professional police force, he would not have wanted those concerns which were brought to his attention, to be shunted aside.
Of course, we subscribe to the understanding and fact that constitutional commissions and their functions ought to be respected. However, when very critical issues as relating to promotion of service institutions’ top brass, especially against the background of what has come to the President’s attention, do arise, it is submitted that as commander-in-chief, there ought to be a mechanism that should allow him to legally act, without being seen to infringe constitutional edict. And this must be seen as acting in the national interest.