President David Granger has instructed Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud to put a high level reshuffling in the Guyana Police Force on hold until a new Minister of Home Affairs is appointed.
Minister of State-designate Joseph Harmon, who is the only other person apart from Granger who is active in the new administration, said the President only learnt of the removal of Crime Chief Leslie James and the transferal of other high level officers through the media.
“The President has instructed the Commissioner that all these high level changes in the force should be put on hold until such time when a new Minister of Home Affairs is appointed,” Harmon told Stabroek News yesterday.
James was reportedly shifted to the office of the Commissioner of Police, where he was said to be working on a special project.
His replacement was touted to be his second-in-command, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum.
Harmon said the only transfer that has been made and which the President is aware of is that of the ‘B’ Division Commander, Assistant Commissioner Brian Joseph, who will now be head of the Presidential Guard Unit.
The former head, Rohan Singh, is set to return to active duty in the force as persons serving in those positions are all members of the police force.
Harmon made it clear that the President is not seeking to get involved in the day-to-day operations of the force and the operational transfer of personnel but pointed out that such high level transfers on the heels of a new administration being voted in should be done after a new Minister of Home Affairs is appointed and that person is satisfied about “the need for those changes.”
Asked specifically if James would then remain in the Crime Chief post, Harmon said, “We expect all those appointments to be put on hold until the new Home Affairs Minister is appointed.” James has only been in the position for about a year.
