Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee in a press statement last week defended his handling of a meeting with the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce and stressed that complaints of corruption against police officers require statements before they can be acted on.
Rohee’s statement was in response to media reports on the meeting sourced to a Chamber official.
Rohee noted that the Minister’s Secretariat had received a request for a meeting with the Executive of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, and the date and time of the meeting was to be set at the convenience of the minister.
The minister’s Secretariat wrote the Chamber requesting a list of the issues to be discussed and a list including the following was received:
1. Corrupt police officers, especially in the traffic department.
2. Loud music (with disturbing bass) being played on Sundays and weekdays up to late hours at night especially when children have to go to school. No response from police stations when reports are made. The hours allocated for music to be played at functions needs to be addressed.
3. Licence officers who sell drivers’ licences. Bribes have to be paid or else drivers fail the tests.
4. Stray animals on road
5. Slow response to crime in rural areas.
The minister set the date and time of the meeting for Saturday, July 7th, at 3.00 pm and he arrived at the venue at approximately 3.00 pm but on entering the meeting place, he found an almost empty hall.
The majority of persons present were Community Policy Members who were asked by the minister to leave because matters pertaining to CPG were not an item on the agenda.
Rohee’s statement noted that the meeting began forty-five minutes late with about five persons present, and other persons who came to discuss their personal problems.
And when asked by Minister Rohee about the poor turnout, President of the Upper Corentyne Chambers of Commerce Leekha Rambrich, who chaired the meeting, was at pains to explain that Saturday was a bad day but he was reminded by Rohee that the date and time was mutually agreed, the statement said.
Poor coordination
“The explanation notwithstanding, it was clear that there was poor coordination and communication at the local level,” Rohee said in his statement.
“The Minister of Home Affairs therefore views in bad taste the statement attributed to Mr Rambrich to the effect that: `members did not turn-up because they anticipated what was going to happen.’”
Dubbing as a “false assertion” Rambrich’s claim that he “failed to address any issue,” Rohee expounded in the statement on the content and results of the meeting.
According to Rohee, regarding the matter of corrupt police officers, particularly in the Traffic Department, what was requested was that the minister “should act on hearsay and undocumented information.”
However, those persons present who had evidence about police corruption were advised to send statements to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Police Complaints Authority or the Office for Professional Responsibility.
“This apparently did not find favour with the Chairman who found this approach unacceptable.”
The minister pointed out that while action must be taken in respect of unlawful acts by any policeman “we do not throw out the baby with the bath water.”
“Obviously,” Rohee added, “the chairman did not want to hear this enlightened approach, from all appearances he wanted the minister to engage in police bashing at the meeting.”
Addressing the issue of loud music, the minister explained his ministry’s approach with respect to violations of the law contrary to Section 175(1) of the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act Cap 8:02. Examples were given whereby the Ministry of Home Affairs publishes on a name-and-shame basis the names and addresses of business places, churches and private residences of persons against whom complaints are made and verified.
The meeting was informed that the ministry has adopted an aggressive stand on the noise nuisance issue across the country. In the case of ‘B’ Division the Minister reported that for the year 2012, thus far, the police received twenty-four reports of noise nuisance and thirteen cases were placed before the courts. Six persons were convicted while the other persons were warned since no statements were submitted to the police to support the allegations made about noise nuisance.
Dealing with the issue of licence officers who reportedly sell drivers’ licences and allegations about bribes being paid or else drivers fail tests, the minister repeated what he said earlier in connection with allegations of corruption within the Guyana Police Force.
“He reinforced the point that persons who have first-hand information about licence officers who sell drivers’ licences and accept bribes, should present that information to the Commander ‘B’ Division and if they do not wish to go that route then they should write to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the matter providing the details in full to enable the Ministry to take action on the matter,” the statement noted.
However, Rambrich was not appreciative of this approach on the grounds that too much writing is requested, and he stated, according to Rohee, that, “We are from the business sector and we have to get through the circles to get things done.”
The minister emphasized that “to get things done” statements by the aggrieved party are necessary and must be provided if action is to be taken at the appropriate level on all matters where corruption is suspected.
According to Rohee, “it eventually became clear that persons making allegations of corruption against members of the Force were not prepared to submit statements.”
Stray animals
The minister briefed those gathered about the ministry’s policy and programme in connection with stray animals on public roads, bridges and places and the concrete action the ministry has initiated to deal with strays. The minister advised that stray catchers are currently being recruited at “B” Division and then they would be cleared by police, trained and provided with uniforms. In addition, a truck to transport the strays to the nearest pound will be provided and will be stationed on the Corentyne to assist with the exercise. The police are to be involved to ensure that there is no breach of the peace while strays are being collected as provided for in law.
Representatives from the Guyana Police Force were requested to comment on the matter of slow response to crime in rural areas. “The newspaper report reflects to a reasonable extent the views expressed by Mr Bassant. In commenting on the matter, the Minister of Home Affairs stated that inaction should not be tolerated by the Force and that it should be dealt with from a disciplinary perspective within the Force. However, he pointed out that one instance of inaction by any station should not result in total condemnation of all stations in Berbice. One example of perceived slow police response was raised and this was responded to by Mr Bassant.”
It was also related at the meeting that a particular businessman (exporter) was interviewed for a firearm licence over six years ago and to date he has not heard anything. The minister enquired about the details of the applicant but no one present seemed to know who he/she was. The matter was left to the group to follow-up and to get the details.
Speed Limit
The minister also presented information with respect to the speed limits in response to the request for a review. The chairman had requested adjustments to the speed limits from Williamsburg to Tain and from No 69 to Crabwood Creek.
However, the minister explained in detail the consultative process that took place to arrive at the current speed limits beginning with the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), the National Commission on Law and Order (NCLO), the Guyana Police Force and Cabinet. He advised that any revision of speed limits would have to go through a similar process, the statement concluded.
