President calls on police force to improve public image, purge corruption
- At Annual Officers’ Conference
Georgetown, GINA, March 1, 2012
President Donald Ramotar addressing officers of the Guyana Police Force at their Annual Officers Conference
President Donald Ramotar today called for the elimination of all forms of corruption within the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and for ranks to conduct their duties with greater professionalism; guarding against citizens’ human rights violation.
This, he said, will go a far way in not only removing the negative image that has clouded the Force but will rebuild public confidence; thereby allowing for enhanced police-civilian relationships as investigations must be thorough and any arrests made, must be premised on justifiable grounds.
The Head of State was at the time delivering the feature address at the opening ceremony of the GPF’s Annual Police Officers’ Conference at Eve Leary.
This year, the three-day conference is being held under the theme, “Enhancing community safety, and securing through partnerships, professionalism, reform and strategic management.”
President Ramotar posited that the GPF, which is one of the country’s oldest institutions, has a strong and proud tradition of service to the people of Guyana and the ranks who are serving in the Force today are the ones who will inherit such a proud track record, which places a great responsibility on them.
He pointed out that social and economic progress and security of a nation are closely correlated, which is why successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Governments have worked tirelessly to improve the conditions of the institution.
In 1992, many of the police stations were in a state of neglect; and resources especially vehicles, were limited and those that were working were in poor condition.
“Our record speaks for itself, in 1992, the total capital expenditure for the GPF was $45.5M; last year alone, by comparison, we spent $484.3M,” the President said.
The Administration has enhanced the country’s legislative framework as it relates to security so as to augment the efforts of the police. Laws were enacted to improve surveillance and plea bargaining, and to permit the acceptance of audio-visual testimony in court.
Leroy Brummel (ag) Police Cimmissioner at the Annual Police Officers Conference
“This was complemented by the promotion of extension mechanisms so as to achieve greater synergies and cooperation between the police and the wider society,” President Ramotar said.
Cognisant of the importance of garnering the support of the public, Government has also deliberately pursued a more vigorous policy in widening the network of community and neighbourhood policing, which now operate in collaboration with the GPF.
In an effort to modernise the operations of the Force, the Crime Observatory was established; mapping crime trends within the society and compiling statistics that is used to inform policy making.
President Donald Ramotar greets former Police Commissioner Laurie Lewis
The Forensic Laboratory which is at present under construction within the precincts of the University of Guyana will be another major boost to crime fighting in Guyana. The Head of State said that once this facility is completed and equipped, will see some of the most advanced scientific tools at the disposal of the Force which will have a significant impact on the success in crime-solving and prosecution.
With regards to training, members of the Force are constantly engaged in various training programmes including those held overseas, designed to improve their efficiency.
President Ramotar said that, “training has always been an integral part of our plans to build greater capacity within the GPF.”
Attendees at the Annual Police Officers Conference
He noted that despite the successes, the Force has faced many challenges; particularly with regards to the infiltration of drugs into the country, which remains a major issue as it has spawned an unprecedented level of violence and criminal activities that have had a corrupting influence on the Guyanese society.
This he said, has demanded much more from law enforcement agencies especially the GPF.
“Guyana is a developing country with many problems to overcome and to deal with; we must therefore constantly look for ways of doing things better and with greater effectiveness, taking into consideration our resources,” the President said.
He made reference to the recent attacks on fisher folks and miners and called on the security forces to pool their resources; noting that the joint approach offers a greater chance of success against criminal elements in the sectors.
The Head of State took the opportunity to salute the officers who helped to put an end to the infamous crime wave that the country endured a few years ago.
President Donald Ramotar inspecting ranks just before the opening of the Annual Police Officers Conference
“The police have to work closely with the communities; building trust and confidence is an important aspect of all types of crime fighting…it is the intention of the Government to strengthen the institution of the GPF to provide it with the requisite and enabling legal framework with which to undertake its work and to engage with other stakeholders, both local and national, in advancing the cause of security in Guyana,” he said.
He added that much needs to be done to ensure that the judiciary can complement the work of the Force in the fight against crime.
The President exhorted officers to strive to improve accountability and transparency and said that with the huge investments that are being made to better equip the Force, Government, on behalf of the people of Guyana, demands improved stewardship of the resources assigned to the Force including vehicles, buildings, and other equipment.
“A few members of the Force have tarnished the good image of the organisation by their involvement in corrupt activities…I would like to see a greater commitment to simple things like courtesy and respect for citizens. The police should not be a law unto themselves, they are servants of the people and are expected to carry out their work without fear or favour,” the Head of State said.
