Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix yesterday said that Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken will be tasked with doing an assessment of the Venezuelan migrant population in Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9
Felix and Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Kester Craig yesterday told Stabroek News that they had sought assistance from the police force hence the assigning of Hicken and Senior Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh to their operations.
In an invited comment yesterday, both Craig and Felix told Stabroek News that their requests were made to Commissioner of Police Leslie James.
“I had a conversation months ago with the Commissioner about the possibility of having a person seconded to CDC to support our work…… so that they can have some experience within our area,” Craig told Stabroek News.
Felix on the other hand described the move as an attachment and not a secondment. “There was no secondment, a secondment has to go through a process which is different from an ordinary attachment,” he said.
“Yes I requested it,” Felix noted.
Craig said he made his request months ago during a conversation with James. Felix’s was made weeks ago.
Acting Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Police Force, Cadet Officer Ike Grandison had confirmed the secondments last Wednesday evening and disclosed that the move was effective from Friday, January 10th.
Both officers were stationed at the Force Training Centre. Hicken headed the centre while Karimbaksh was the deputy. It is unclear why both of the top officers of the training centre would be reassigned at the same time.
Hicken has been posted at the Ministry of Presidency, Department of Citizenship while Karimbaksh is at the CDC.
Secondment is the temporary transfer of an official or worker to another position or employment.
James had initially declined to address the reasons behind the secondment while noting that the Minister of Public Security would have already addressed the matter.
However, the following day, when he was asked on the sidelines of an event he told reporters that the gaps will be filled.
“It is not a precedent, that I would say” he had answered when asked if other officers have been seconded in the past. While Hicken and Karimbaksh are the first under his watch he said there were secondments before his tenure as Commissioner.
Craig explained that he has since interviewed Karimbaksh and he is looking at different options of the duties that he will undertake such as being part of the search and rescue plan, investigative works, operations and any sabotage to infrastructure.
“We may ask him (Karimbaksh) to give us support with the search and rescue plan. He would also help the response team…if we have an investigative type of activity as it relates to the well operations and sabotage of infrastructure and he would also be like a key liaison because we have several mass casualty incidents where we set up venue operations centres……police also play a major role as it relates to traffic management for those activities and crowd control,” Craig said.
“So I have encouraged the Commissioner of Police a number of months ago that it might be good to have officers here to rotate so that they will understand the Civil Defence Work. And also I think the police force has responsibility for search and rescue too…and that’s an area we need to strengthen and I am sure that we would work with who so ever come across here to help strengthen search and rescue capabilities of the country,” he further explained.
Craig noted that there have been incidents in the past whereby the support of the police is needed.
“…For example when there was the Diamond well eruption and it was a whole long investigation where persons was required to be charged. And we think if we have someone with certain skills like that here they would able to help support the work in that area. Another incident couple weeks ago where it was alleged that there was sabotage a koker in Leguan. We have a number of incidents where police could support,” Craig related.
He said that a number of other officers were also seconded from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to support the work of the CDC.
Felix told Stabroek News that his Ministry had a “problem” whereby assistance was needed.
As a result, he said a request was made to James after which list of names was provided to him. Felix said he chose Hicken. “Because I know him,” he said.
“Look, look, look, we have a problem, I needed some assistance and I requested of the Commissioner to identify someone. I got some names and I selected Mr Hicken,” Felix stated.
.Karimbaksh’s secondment is scheduled to last until August while Hicken’s ends in June.
