MINISTER of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan on Tuesday added his voice to the controversy surrounding the date of birth of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lyndon Alves.
From all indications, there seems to have been some confusion about the date Alves joined the force as against the date of his birth.

Contacted on the issue, Ramjattan stated that he was indeed concerned when he first received information that there was speculation surrounding the retirement of the crime chief who was still on the job, although he had reportedly reached the age of retirement. Ramjattan said that he asked the permanent secretary of the ministry to investigate the claims that were being made and it was found that there was nothing to be alarmed about as it relates to Alves. This newspaper was told by the minister that checks were done with the post office which holds records of births and deaths and it was found that Alves was indeed born in 1965, and that he had not yet attained the age of retirement, which means that he will remain on the job until next year.

According to Ramjattan, no one should be alarmed about the time someone joins the force, but rather when they attain the age of retirement. “When they join the job is not what is important, when they are supposed to retire based on their age is what is important; and if there is a need for recommendation for an extension that has to go to the President but in this case, there is none, because the gentleman has not yet attained the age of retirement,” the Public Security Minister stated.

Last week, when contacted for a comment, the commissioner of police said that the crime chief was still on the job. Contacted on Tuesday, Alves said that his records are available for perusal and expressed disappointment that persons were making his birth registration date an issue. He even confirmed that he had caused a journalist to have access to his records to ascertain the true nature of his birth and the registration of his birth.

The retirement age in the Public Service is 55 and public servants are expected to retire when they have attained that age, unless otherwise asked to remain on the job through a process. Alves, who will be retiring from the force in 2020, is among three other assistant commissioners of police who were appointed deputy commissioners to lend administrative support to Commissioner of Police Leslie James. They were all appointed on August 30, 2018.