Crime Chief admitted to the bar
From left: Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, newly-sworn attorney, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, his relative and his wife, attorney Latchmie Rahamat with their daughter (Elvin Carl Croker photo)
From left: Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, newly-sworn attorney, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, his relative and his wife, attorney Latchmie Rahamat with their daughter (Elvin Carl Croker photo)

– in fulfilment of long-held dream

WHAT started as a dream 24 years ago has now become a reality for Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, who was on Wednesday admitted to the local Bar by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George at the Demerara High Court.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police’s petition was presented by his wife, prominent attorney-at-law Latchmie Rahamat.

Several senior police officers along with Minster of the Public Service, Sonia Parag, who is also an attorney, were present with Blanhum’s relatives to witness the special occasion.
“This was indeed a challenging but rewarding journey with detours that took me into the rank and file of the Guyana Police Force more than 24 years ago,” Blanhum said, explaining that it was his childhood dream to be an attorney.

He said that this journey would not have been possible without the love and support of his wife, who is now his senior in the legal profession.
“It would be remiss of me not to give recognition to you as the person who revived and reignited that boyhood dream of becoming an Attorney-at-Law that I had forgotten years ago while I pursued and excelled in my policing career,” Blanhum said.

The newly-sworn attorney also thanked his family for their support throughout all of his academic pursuits.
He explained that while growing up his mother always believed that he would make an excellent attorney; however, after completing secondary school, finances proved to be a barrier to pursuing this dream. At age 18, he joined the Guyana Police Force.

Blanhum adds yet another qualification to his record which includes qualifications in publication management and administration.
He is also trained in crime-prevention policing; investigation of organized crimes for the Americas; policing and management; intelligence-led policing and law enforcement leadership, to name a few.

“I always give 100 per cent in everything I do. I am a full-time police officer, full-time husband, full-time father and was, over the last five years, a full-time student.
“As a result, I had several experiences where work and school duties overlapped. Fortunately, I was always able to wear all my caps comfortably,” Blanhum said.

He reflected that one of the “remarkable experiences of overlap” that created an indelible impression on his mind was on the day of his Civil Practice and Procedure Examination Year II, the same day when a fire blazed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown.

“Mere hours before the exam while I was reviewing notes, I received a distress report from my ranks that there was an active fire at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters and as the head of the CID and the country’s serving crime chief, I was duty-bound to visit the scene, assess the situation and thereafter report to my superiors,” he added.

As he continued to reflect on his journey, Blanhum recalled when he was removed from his crime chief duties in 2017 by the David Granger-led coalition government and was posted to Region One (Barima-Waini) while pursuing his legal studies at the University of Guyana.

“I was posted to Region One and could not physically attend all my classes. Your Honour, many persons in this situation would have given up and quit; however, I was determined to succeed, no matter what the circumstances were that presented itself.

“I was always motivated by the following quote that ‘when you shine your own light, dream your own dream, follow your own star, anything is possible.’ And I made the impossible possible through the help of my colleagues and lecturers who were kind enough to excuse my absence from some of their classes,” he said.

During his speech, the crime chief also thanked Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mae Touissant Jr. Thomas and others for their continued support during his studies.

“I am fully aware that the legal profession is a noble profession and therefore I undertake to conduct myself in a manner that preserves and strengthens the dignity, honour, and ethics of the profession,” he said.
The chief justice welcomed Blanhum to the bar and urged him to commit to the hard work that success entails and to commit to conducting thorough research to serve his clients and the citizens of this nation.

She also reminded him that he is not only a police officer, but now an officer of the court and has a new added responsibility to guide his ranks when it comes to the rule of law.
“I am confident that you will do your best,” the chief justice said to Blanhum.

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