Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee last evening declared a loss of in confidence in Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine and has urged acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brummell to discipline him over recent public statements.
“…The Minister of Home Affairs hereby declares that that he has lost confidence in the Guyana Police Force’s Commander at ‘C’ Division and, as a consequence, has written to the Commissioner of Police (ag) drawing to his attention his concerns about the conduct of Assistant Commissioner Ramnarine and has requested that action be taken at his level in accordance with the Police (Discipline) Act Chap 17:01,” a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs said last evening.
In a letter, published in the Sunday Stabroek, Ramnarine responded to criticisms by Rohee, triggered by his public statements made in relation to a $90 million allocation to police for elections activities. Rohee accused Ramnarine of breaching the Guyana Police Force’s Standing Orders by making the information public. However, Ramnarine, who said he spoke out because of concern over the welfare of the ranks, argued that the Standings Orders do not supersede his fundamental right to freedom of expression.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs stands firm in its view that all members of the Guyana Police Force without exception from Constable to Commander must uphold the Standing Orders of the Guyana Police Force,” the ministry said in its statement yesterday, adding that Ramnarine is wrong in seeking to make himself an exception from a long established “custom and practice” and to cover that exception “under the guise of his constitutional rights” as a citizen. It further noted that Ramnarine, given his powers under the Police Act, is no ordinary citizen, while noting that he serves at the highest level of the force.
According to the ministry, Ramnarine has chosen to set “a bad example” for the force under cover of his constitutional rights and it declared that his actions are “careless, mutinous and unlawful.” It cited the Part III of the Police (Discipline) Act Chap (17:01), which states: “Any member of the force (other than the commissioner) who communicates to the publisher or editor of any newspaper or to any unauthorized person any matter connected with the force without the permission of the commissioner; commits an offence against discipline and is liable to such punishment as may be imposed upon him, by the commissioner or the disciplinary authority….”
The ministry added that in his letter, Ramnarine, contrary to long established customs and traditions of the Guyana Police Force, chose to publicly declare his personal political views on matters such as governance, political democracy and the role and functions of the office of the Minister of Home Affairs in relation to the Police Act. “The commander accuses the ministry of intruding into the affairs of the force,” it said, while noting that although Rohee cautioned Ramnarine privately on several occasions, these efforts were futile.
“Moreover, since the PPP/C administration must bear full responsibility for any upsurge in criminal activities and a breakdown in public order does Mr Ramnarine expect the Minister of Home Affairs to sit back and tell the Police Commissioner nothing while Mr Ramnarine and his satraps sit back in their exalted chambers and rub their hands in glee? And when the minister, according to the Police Act gives “general direction to the commissioner” in respect of criminal and public order issues in Guyana, Mr Ramnarine, deems this intrusive,” it added.
Ramnarine said in his letter that he was fully supportive of civilian oversight of the force but noted concern over “oversight which becomes so intrusive to the extent that it manifests itself into civilian command of the force.” He added that such intrusive oversight can and does “adversely affect professionalism,” resulting in indecisiveness, ineffectiveness and inefficiency from officers. “No wonder the honourable minister so often chides and vents his frustration at the inordinate length of time it takes to get simple things done,” he said, while reminding that the Consti-tution provides for civilian control of the force but the command of the force is the province of the commissioner under the Police Act.
