Presidential Advisor on National Security, Brigadier (ret’d) Edward Collins says his activities have not encroached upon the mandate of the Minister of Public Security and that he has received full support from the minister.
In a statement via GINA on Monday, Collins was responding to criticism in the Sunday Stabroek editorial of July 26 of one of his visits to Berbice.
The editorial stated ”Just what, one wonders, was Presidential Advisor Edward Collins doing visiting Berbice and then pronouncing ministerial style on the security situation there, and the fact that the government would be reviving the Community Policing Groups (CPGs)? This, it might be noted, is after Minister Ramjattan had redirected new vehicles which the previous government had earmarked for the CPGs, to the Police Force.
“Just what was Brigadier (rtd) Collins trying to do? Undermine the authority of the Minister? Sideline him? Or was it simply naivety, because he has always operated within a military context and was unfamiliar with the norms and protocols of civilian government? Ministers must be given the room to function, otherwise they will simply cease to perform; after all, what is the point of taking decisions if others in government are going to overrule them or disregard them? Effective government simply cannot be achieved that way.”
GINA said that the Presidential Advisor was adamant that he has not interfered in the functions or space of the Minister of Public Security. Collins said, “in fact, my first visit to the Police Headquarters was with the minister and that was a very thorough and beneficial meeting.” Collins said, according to GINA, that he has received full support from the minister, adding that it was Ramjattan “who called the head of CANU and told him to speak with me.” In addition, Collins said that he has been working with the minister, seeking his approval to visit police stations, fire stations and the prisons.
Following on the relationship established at the first meeting at the Police Force Headquarters which was attended by the Commissioner of Police, Collins told GINA that he was able to meet with the Commander of B Division Christopher Griffith.
GINA added that in a telephone interview with it, the ‘B’ Division Commander said that he was able to provide a thorough brief to the Advisor because of the close working relationship established between the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Public Security and the Presidential Advisor. The Commander said at no time did he get the impression that the Advisor was trying to usurp the role or functions of the Minister.
Meanwhile, GINA said that Collins is expected to present his first report to President David Granger by the end of August. The Advisor has been on a series of information gathering visits to Regions Five and Six, evaluating the security resources and capabilities in these regions.
Collins told GINA his visits provided material that he can use to formulate recommendations. He made it clear that he has no executive authority to implement any action whether those come from his recommendations or from elsewhere.
GINA said it is expected that the recommendations from the Presidential Advisor will feed into strategies and programmes to be implemented by the Ministry of National Security and other Ministries and agencies.
