Dear Editor,
Even in the best of times, it is not so good a time for law enforcement in this country. For on a day when the few stalwart and professional in the Guyana Police Force should be allowed to bask in the limelight of some rare public accolades, there is a reminder of the long, dark underbelly within the organization, of how bad things really are.
First, there was the warming caption, “Police Force hands out awards for good work in moneychanger murder, other cases” (SN July 18). Second, and a mere four pages later on page 21 of the same edition, there was this sobering, jarring title, “Pregnant woman, husband allegedly assaulted by police at East Ruimveldt outpost.” On any given day, police malfeasance is as constant a media presence as editorials and cartoons and the sports pages. Indeed alleged that assault may be at this time, but there may not be many supporters in the public too keen on emphasizing that qualifier. On the same day, and in almost the same space, that a major breakthrough and achievement is heralded, it is marred (allegedly) by a report of those who look with disdain upon citizens in need of either answers or protection or the comforting presence of the law, and greet them with crude physical force.
Third, if he pauses from his busy schedule, I have to wonder how the youthful looking, clean looking Inspector Lowe receiving his award from a smiling Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, must feel (KN July 18th front page picture). The top cop finally has something to smile about for the cameras. Amidst those smiles, and on the other hand, could Inspector Lowe be thinking in the aftermath that, after the team had put in so much effort and succeeded so satisfyingly, there did have to be this blight of an assault allegation that obscures the hard work and his gleaming moment under the sun? That would only be right, simply human. Could he be thinking, like the rest of us in this teeming, very criminal metropolis, that his labours and those of others, may not mean much in the overwhelmingly gloomy picture? I would hasten to assure him and his fellow clean brothers and sisters that such is furthest from the truth. For whatever little nuggets could be obtained here and there are well-received and well-applauded. The prayer is only for more.
It is very much appreciated that with such a major crime came the usual opportunities for the usual exploitation. That is, keep some of the cash recovered; fiddle around with the evidence collection; deliberately report only a blind alley relative to the getaway vehicle; solicit some funds from the owner of said vehicle to point fingers in another direction or to some palatable rationale; solicit some funds from relatives of the suspects to make the matter go away; and all the other tricks that have not made their way into the public’s consciousness.
Any and all of that could have been tried; perhaps with the usual success and resulting dead ends. In this instance, the team on the job at the Guyana Police Force did not do so. Its members did the right thing. On that, and in the fervent hope for more of the same, this society rests its collective hat, and leans with a deeply indrawn breath. It waits. Selfishly, it wants more.
For his part, Inspector Lowe and his group have to be content with some honest cash, and sharing their big day with those other members of the police family that crashed their party and made a mess of it. The hope is that there is more of the good and less of the bad. Way less.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
