Dear Editor
I was happy to see in Sunday Stabroek of January 18, 2009, Mr Ivelaw Whittaker, Police Public Relations and Press Officer for whom I have regard both personally and professionally, responding to my thoughts and suggestions which, I assure you, are shared by many Guyanese sympathetic to the Guyana Police Force (‘The Guyana Police Force has a set of media relations guidelines which are working well.’ Notwithstanding the slightly condescending note of the opening paragraph and the defensive posture of the letter, I was very impressed by the alacrity with which the PR&PO sought to set the minds of the citizenry at rest, and which effectively demonstrates that the GPF is an institution responsive to the concerns of the populace with particular regard to the existence of a media policy.
It should be noted that nowhere did I say that a policy did not exist; I simply expressed a few suggestions based upon my interaction with a wide cross section of people. I direct attention to what I wrote: “If one does not exist then a Media Relations Policy should be adopted in accordance with the Standing Orders with a set of professional guidelines for contacts with the media with respect to media co-operation without divulging confidential information.”
However, in the same manner that the PR&PO was galvanized into explaining that a media policy does exist (the issue of implementation did not arise), I along with so many others would be extremely gratified to see the same level of energy expended in the production of the kind of programme which speaks to the very core of public safety and security needs. It is my belief that although rhetoric has its place and time, the force has the capacity to deliver, but still needs to demonstrate consistently the will to address all of those concerns, at all levels.
Yours faithfully,
Patrick E Mentore
