The Guyana Police Force today said that the prime suspect in the recent murder of Corporal Romein Cleto on April 27 has been identified but has not yet been arrested.
The statement from the police came in response to a news item in the Kaieteur News of May 13 which had raised questions about if the police were doing enough for their ranks. The police statement follows.
“The Guyana Police Force is responding to an article published in the Kaieteur News of Monday May 13, 2013, under the caption “Is the Guyana Police Force doing enough for its ranks?” and which deals with the Force’s response to situations where ranks are killed in the line of duty.
“The Force is expressing deep concern over the umbrageous statements contained in the article to the effect that “the lives of policemen are being treated with scant regard” and that “their deaths are glossed over with an annual service”.
“In setting the records straight the Guyana Police Force wishes to clarify that contrary to what is stated in the opening paragraph of the article that “there was that period between 2002-2004, when almost every week, a cop was murdered in Guyana”, the statistics show that during that three-year period 25 police ranks lost their lives in the line of duty; a far cry from being a weekly occurrence.
“The Police Force is very concerned when a rank loses his life under such tragic circumstances and all efforts are made by investigators with the involvement of senior officers to ensure that justice is served and to bring some sort of closure to grieving relatives and friends.
“While diligent investigations have not resulted in prosecution in every instance, persons have been charged in more than just the two occurrences alluded to in the article which can only be construed as intended to belittle the police administration.
“Listed are instances where persons have been charged with murder following intense investigations into the death of ranks from 2002 to present:
- Kenrick Heywood was charged with the murder of Constable 19314 Jairam Shivram which occurred in 2003.
- Macello Caldero was charged with the murder of Constable 18102 Lloyd Cameron which occurred at Sophia in 2003.
- Solomon Blackman was charged with the murder of Assistant Superintendent Richard Griffith and Lance Corporal 14177 Ramnarine Latchana which occurred at Brickdam in 2004.
- Devon Paul and Keneski Glasgow were charged with murder committed on Constable Sumdat Ramoutar which occurred in 2005.
- Dorset McCalmon was charged with the murder of Constable 17890 Micah Cort which occurred in 2007.
- Roger Simon, Clebert Reece, Dennis Williams, Mark Williams and Michael Caesar have been charged with the murder of Lance Corporal 18632 Zaheer Zakier, Constable 16906 Shane Fredericks and Constable 19886 Ron Osborne which occurred at Bartica in 2008.
- Rondell Gibson and Cliff Chichester have been charged with the murder of Constable 18682 Oslyn Glasgow which occurred at Wellington Park, Corentyne, in 2008.
- Desiree Jeffers has been charged with the murder of Constable Bobb-Blackman which occurred in 2011.
- Salim Bacchus was charged with the murder of Constable 20682 Jirbahan Dianand which occurred at Molsen Creek, Corentyne, in 2012.
“Investigations are continuing into the murder of Corporal 20196 Romein Cleto who was shot and killed at Regent Street, Georgetown, on April 27, 2013. The prime suspect has been identified but is not yet arrested.
“On the welfare side, procedures have been established to ensure that assistance and support are offered to the immediate relatives of ranks killed in the line of duty and that they are not forgotten. The sum of $1 million is initially paid to them by the Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs and this sum is not intended to be indicative of the price of the life of a policeman. It is to assist the relatives in getting through the immediate difficult and traumatic period.
“In addition through the Benevolent Fund, of which every rank is a contributor, the sum of $200,000.00 is made available to assist with the funeral expenses. Other administrative support such as transportation, facilities for wake, choir, etc. are put in place depending on the requirements of the bereaved family.
“Further, Regular ranks of the Police Force killed in the line of duty are entitled to a ‘death gratuity’ providing that they have served a minimum of two years. This gratuity is calculated based on their salary at the time of demise. In the case of members of the Special Constabulary, the rank would have had to serve a minimum of seven years.
“Currently, efforts are being made through the Guyana Police Association to have an increase in the sum paid to police ranks as death benefit by the Government.
“Plans are afoot to ensure that the children of such ranks who are in receipt of a bursary from the Police Force while attending Secondary School would have this sort of assistance continued should they decide to attend the University of Guyana.
“To say that the deaths of police ranks killed in the line of duty is “glossed over with an annual service” is a very malicious statement by the Kaieteur News. The Guyana Police Force under the late Commissioner Laurie Lewis, DSS, DSM, built a ‘Monument to our Fallen Heroes’ so that these honorable ranks who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country and its citizens will not be forgotten.
“The annual ‘Wreath Laying Ceremony’ during the Force Anniversary celebrations in July is not meant for show, but is a very solemn occasion where these exemplary ranks are honoured and their memory kept alive.
The Police Force wishes to ask the question “On Rembrance Day when wreaths are laid during ceremonies all over the world to honour those who died in the World Wars, is it meant to ‘gloss over their deaths?”
During Christmas the Administration of the Force, with the Commissioner of Police and Police Divisional Commanders in the forefront, gives meaningful assistance to the relatives of police ranks killed in the line of duty through the provision of a significant food hamper and other efforts are continually made through the Police Welfare Department to assist with any reasonable request made by relatives. There have also been occasions when the relatives of ranks killed in the line of duty have been offered employment in the Guyana Police Force.
Over the years the Guyana Police Force has done, and continues to do, its utmost in efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators involved in the killing of police ranks and simultaneously to tend to the resulting welfare issues that may confront the sorrowing relatives. Such matters are intrinsic to the maintenance of moral, motivation and esprit de corps and are treated with the seriousness they deserve.”
