— says President Ali

NOW that the life of the ‘current’ Police Service Commission (PSC) has expired, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Monday, said that the next stage was to ensure that a new body was appointed. “That has a procedure, a constitutional procedure, and that procedure will be activated,” Dr. Ali told reporters on the sidelines of an event at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara.
The former five-member Commission was sworn-in on August 9, 2018 by then President David Granger, to serve for a period of three years – 2018 to 2021. Former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe, was appointed Chairperson of the Commission, while the other four members were retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clinton Conway, Claire Jarvis, Michael Somersall and Vesta Adams.
Earlier in June, prior to its expiration, Dr. Ali had suspended the entire PSC, based on the fact that Slowe and Conway were facing criminal charges relating to fraud. Slowe also had accusations of sexual assault levied against him.

Dr. Ali had said that his decision to suspend the Commission was based on advice from Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips. Consequently, the embattled members of the PSC had moved to the High Court, challenging the President’s suspension as being “unconstitutional”. However, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C, had said that the matter filed by the PSC was tainted by grave constitutional error since the President was immune from prosecution. That matter was, on Monday, adjourned until August 30.
In the meantime, the current state of the PSC has left a number of important issues stalled, including the promotion of members of the Guyana Police Force. The PSC, even after it was suspended, released a police promotion list which has since been rejected by the Irfaan Ali-led Government.

On Monday, asked whether he was hopeful that a new PSC would resolve the current impasse in relation to police promotions and other key matters, President Ali said, “I don’t want to get involved in the work of the Commission, but I’m sure the new Commission would definitely work towards resolving whatever issues there are.”
The Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces also expressed optimism that a new Commission, once appointed, would take up its role in a “very professional way, and in a manner that befits the functioning of this Commission that is so important to our country”.
Notwithstanding the President’s intention for smooth functioning of the PSC, its composition could be a hurdle, since it would require consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon.
As it is, President Ali has insisted that while he is open to constructive dialogue with Harmon, he will only engage the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) executive if he accepts the government as legitimate.
Since President Ali was sworn in on August 2, 2020, the Main Opposition has been referring to the government as an “installed” regime.