MINISTER of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, on Wednesday said that the last Police Service Commission (PSC) had overstepped its mark and he believes that a decision to stay that body’s hand in promoting ranks was the right move.

“When you look at what happened with the last Police Service Commission which promoted people who burnt the genitals of boys in police lock stations, what do you think? I will think and especially when I was the lawyer for the little boy?” Ramjattan asked the press.

Ramjattan was responding to comments from the media about the status of the next PSC which among other things, have several disciplinary matters and promotions of senior police officers to consider. The minister told the press that the commission had to be changed, as several things they were doing were being questioned even by officers within the Guyana Police Force.

Ramjattan went as far as to accuse the last PSC of not carrying out their constitutional duties. “I mean you had to get that Police Service Commission changed and I think the President was totally correct in not promoting anybody there in respect to that kind of attitude; and there were a number of other allegations and they were obviously not doing their constitutional duties,” the security minister asserted.

The minister explained that while it is important for the institutions to be allowed to work, there were several factors that had to be looked at as they relate to the operations of those bodies. The last PSC was headed by Omesh Satyanand. Other members included Carvil Duncan, Lloyd Smith, Keith John and Harold Martin. Ramjattan said that there were several complaints levelled against members of the commission, but he did not get into the specifics of those allegations and claims which were brought against the commission.

Last year as the commission was in the process of making a decision with respect to who among the senior ranks of the force would be promoted, the head of the commission received a letter from Minister of State Joseph Harmon, informing of the President’s wish for a hold on the promotions. That wish was granted, but the move was subsequently challenged in court and the court found that the state acted unconstitutionally when it instructed that the promotions be halted. The life of the commission subsequently came to an end. Recently, the Appointments Committee of Parliament reported that following consultations, retired Assistant Commissioners of Police, Paul Slowe, Clinton Conway, Vesta Adams and Claire Jarvis have been identified to sit on the body.

The PSC is the constitutional body which is mandated to promote and discipline officers from the rank of inspector to assistant commissioners of police. In the absence of the commission, disciplinary matters would have to be deferred until a commission is constituted.