Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee yesterday said that any policeman caught acting outside of his mandate will have to suffer the consequences, while urging that the highest values and standards are instilled into the new recruits.
Rohee was giving an address just before handing over five Nissan Double Cab vehicles worth $20.5M to the Force at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary. “I want to encourage ranks who do not allow themselves to be led into temptation to continue standing firm and to set examples at all times,” the minister said, before stressing that they need to work harder to ensure that from the time of recruitment, intensive character assessment is done.
The minister made these comments in light of the incident involving the three coast guards who are now before the court charged with the murder of Dweive Kant Ramdass, a gold dealer.
He told the gathering that the vehicles that were to be handed over are to be used for the purpose intended, which is to conduct duties consistent with policing and not for “going to market places, or dropping children to school, for partying or any other activity that can bring the force into disrepute.” He referred specifically to the
Ramdass case, warning, “I want to warn police ranks to whom these vehicles are entrusted to don’t even think about engaging such deeds….” He said that the incident left him feeling let down and with a sense of disappointment.
Rohee stated that sporadic but high profile criminal activities blemish the good name and standing of the force, in the public’s eye. Over the years, he said the current administration has been providing vehicles and this is a manifestation of its commitment to ensure that the force has the required resources to carryout its duty.
He expressed hope that complaints of vehicles not being available or police responding late to a report will eventually become a thing of the past with the increase of land and water transportation by government.
