The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said on Tuesday night that it was never the intention to remove the name of Felix Austin, the first Guyanese Police Commissioner, from its training college.
The statement came a week after retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe wrote a letter to this newspaper raising concerns about the GPF’s announcement that it planned to change the name of the Felix Austin Police College to the Guyana Police Force Academy.
Slowe’s letter was followed by other expressions of public dissent but still the police did not relent.
Police spokesman, Mark Ramotar had told Stabroek News on Wednesday that the name change stemmed from the five-year agreement which was signed between the GPF and the University of Guyana. The agreement was signed in October of last year between then Senior Superintendent of Police Calvin Brutus, now Assistant Commissioner, and UG’s Vice Chancellor, Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin.
“It is part of the strategic plan of the Guyana Police Force to have a Police Academy so when Mr. Brutus and the University of Guyana signed the five year agreement, and part of that agreement is to ensure that the Police Academy is accredited,” Ramotar said. He made no reference to the retention of Felix Austin in the name.
In a statement on Tuesday, the police said: “Following the speculations being bandied about in sections of the media, the Guyana Police Force would like to make it clear that the proposed ‘name change’ of the Felix Austin Police College to Felix Austin Police Academy has to do with just one word — college to academy.
“The name Felix Austin will remain in the name change for the police academy —- which is proposed to be The Felix Austin Police Academy.
“This is all part of the modernisation of the Guyana Police Force. Prior to the name change, due process will be followed”.
On its Facebook page on July 14, the police had said “The Guyana Police Force has taken a decision to change the name of the Felix Austin Police College to the Guyana Police Force Academy”. It then invited artists and designers to enter a logo and slogan contest for the new name.
