Retired Assistant Commissioner, Clinton Conway has recommended that Deputy Commissioner of Police, Paul Williams be selected as the next Commissioner of Police.
In a letter to Stabroek News which was published on February 19th , Conway outlined a number of reasons to support his recommendation which include the various capacities Williams has held as a member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Williams has over 30 years of service under his belt. Among the portfolios he held were Crime Chief and Acting Commissioner of Police.
In August, 2020 Williams was sent on 192 days of annualised vacation leave. Reports had revealed that this decision was made to facilitate allegation/s which were levelled against him.
In 2018, he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Police by former President David Granger. Williams was also among the nominees who were interviewed by Granger for the post of Commissioner of Police. However, he was not selected.
“I am of the opinion that Paul Williams is a fit and proper person to be appointed as the next Commissioner of Police. He is not a paragon of virtue. He is more academically and professionally qualified and senior to the other contenders. He has clean hands, a warm heart, a cool head and a passion for the job and God,” Conway said in the letter.
“I have known Paul Williams since he was a police recruit. While in training, he displayed tremendous potential for growth and development. He did not disappoint,” he added.
According to Conway, the current acting Top Cop, Nigel Hoppie is scheduled to demit office at the end of this year. Until then, he said a substantive Commissioner of Police cannot be appointed. “The authority to appoint a Commissioner rests solely with the President,” Conway said.
He quoted Section 211 (1) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana which states, “the Commissioner of Police and every Deputy Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Police Service Commission after the Chairperson has consulted with other members of the Commission.”
Conway further stated in the letter that when Hoppie proceeds on pre-retirement leave which “may be soon”, someone will have to be appointed to act in this capacity.
He explained that in keeping with the Public Service rules, that individual ought to be the next senior person of the force. “But Paul Williams who is the next senior Deputy Commissioner may not be given the right to act as persons in authority have flagrantly violated the letter, spirit and intent of some of the most sacrosanct constitutional procedures,” he outlined.
As such, he said it would not be “surprising” if the Public Service rules are bypassed and a junior person is appointed to act as Commissioner.
Outlining Williams’ academic credentials, Conway said Williams successfully completed numerous courses and seminars at the Felix Austin Police College and elsewhere.
They include the one year Special Prosecutors’ Course conducted by the GPF and the University of Guyana (UG). He is also the holder of a Diploma in Public Management from UG, a Law Degree, a Post Graduate Diploma in Legislative Interpretation and Drafting under the auspices of UG, the University of the West Indies and the European Union and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.
Williams is presently pursuing a Doctorate in International Relations.
In August 2020, Hoppie was selected as the acting Commissioner of Police following a shake-up in the force due to two of its most senior members proceeding on pre-retirement leave.
Presently, a number of GPF-related issues including the selection of a new Commissioner of Police seem to have stalled and will only be resolved once the Police Service Commission (PSC) is reconstituted.
Questioned about the issue on the sidelines of an event late last month, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn told Stabroek News the PSC will be reconstituted “soon” and the issues currently faced by the force will be overcome.
In December last year, Parliament’s Committee on Appointments nominated four individuals to sit on the PSC. The four persons are Ernesto Choo-a-Fat, businessman; Lloyd Mark Conway, attorney at law; Hakeem Mohamed, businessman; and Bishop Patrick Anthony Findlay.
