Four Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officers were dismissed from the unit last week after they failed to turn up to work to take a mandatory polygraph test, a senior source confirmed yesterday.
According to the source all four of the officers sent in medicals for sick leave two days before they were expected to take the test and this resulted in their services being terminated.
It was pointed out that it was suspicious that all four men got sick at the same time and around the time when the test was to be administered. The officers, whose contracts were expected to expire at the end of the year, were sent letters of dismissal and given one month’s salary. The source told this newspaper that all four of the men had in excess of four years each with the unit.
Asked whether the dismissals of the four would not affect the operations of the unit the source said none of the four former officers were involved in any “active operation” and it was pointed out that the unit continues to function. It is understood that the men had not taken a polygraph test since new CANU Head James Singh took over the reins late in 2008. However, it was noted that since the men have in excess of four years with the unit they would have been subjected to the test before.
It is not clear why the men apparently were reluctant to take the test but according to reports there were other issues concerning the men’s performance which would have played a part in their eventual dismissals.
The men would have been a part of the unit back in 2008 when nine former officers, including its then acting head Orville Nedd, were dismissed after failing the polygraph tests. All nine of those employees were paid what was due to them and were sent home.
And last year government confirmed the sacking of several employees of law enforcement agencies who had failed polygraph tests. The tests cost government between US$200 and US$300 per person.
Government spokesman Dr Roger Luncheon had told reporters that the commitment to institutionalize integrity testing within the state and government sectors had been solidified.
The polygraph testing exercise was extended to include employees at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, the Guyana Energy Agency, and the Narcotics Branch of the Guyana Police Force stationed at the airport.
