The Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Paul Slowe today issued an ultimatum to Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie to give effect to police promotions announced by the PSC or to face legal steps.
Slowe gave Hoppie up to midday tomorrow to effect the promotions.
President Irfaan Ali had purported to suspend Slowe and other members of the PSC but Slowe and his attorney have said the President acted unconstitutionally and that the list of promotions presented to Hoppie on June 28 must be acted upon.
The text of the letter to Hoppie follows:
The Police Service Commission sent you a list on June 28, 2021, of ranks of the Guyana Police Force who were promoted. Your office acknowledged receiving the promotion list on June 30, 2021.
As you are aware, you are required to cause a Special Promotion Order to be prepared so that the promoted ranks and other members of the Force can be informed of the promotions. The Quartermaster also uses the Special Promotion Order to issue badges of rank to the newly promoted ranks.
The lawyer to the Police Service Commission, Mr. Selwyn Pieters, copied you on a letter, which was sent to President Mohamed Irfaan Ali informing him that his purported suspension of the Police Service Commission was unconstitutional and of no legal effect. He also informed the President that the Police Service Commission will continue to do its work until the end of its term in August, 2021.
Your action in not ensuring that the Special Promotion Order is prepared and published one week after receiving the promotion list from the Police Service Commission is interpreted by the Police Commission as you defying the legitimate action of the Police Service Commission in promoting ranks of the Guyana Police Force.
This letter is to inform you that the Police Service Commission expects you to cause the Special Promotions Order to be published forthwith, and that you give instructions to the Quartermaster to issue the newly promoted ranks with their badges of rank.
The Police Service Commission would also like to remind you that as the most senior rank in the Guyana Police Force you are expected lead by example and to carry out all legal instruction/directives and to disregard unlawful instructions/directives. This principle is considered one of the hallmarks of good leadership.
Should you further delay to give effect to the promotions the Police Service Commission will be forced to take legal steps to command you to carry out your duties in relation to the promotions.
We look forward to your response, and in any event, by no later than 12:00 p.m. on July 06, 2021.
Please govern yourself accordingly.
Yours truly,
Chairman
cc Commissioners
Secretary, Police Service Commission
Legal Officer, Public/Police Service Commission
Selwyn Pieters, External Counsel to the Chairman and Commissioners
