Dear Editor,
I was watching the evening news recently and saw members of the Guyana Police Force marching. It was truly an embarrassment to the force when one considers how poorly the police marched and how unfit the officers looked. This showed a clear indication of the lack of preparedness of the GPF. Even the school children that participated in the People’s Parade in previous years where they marched for the President and his senior officials showed better preparation and discipline. It used to be said that ‘Only A Disciplined People Can Build A Nation’.
Given the current high level of crime in the country, we can conclude that the GPF needs to regain its strength and discipline. Corruption has weakened its very foundations. “The Mission of the Guyana Police Force and its Auxiliaries is to serve all citizens and communities of Guyana in a professional, pro-active and accountable manner”. The taking of bribes is unprofessional to say the least, and the lack of accountability within the GPF has allowed corruption to spread throughout the force. The Aim of the GPF: “7. Building a Police Force that through the correct training, access to the right equipment and technologies and adherence to standards will better serve the people of Guyana”.
Lack of proper training and not adhering to the basic standards of performance is also reflected in the GPF’s inability to better serve our people. Each regional commander should be required to participate in an annual parade of his or her regional division as part of an annual evaluation of the GPF’s level of training effectiveness and internal discipline. Financial audits of its leaders and the effectiveness of crime prevention should also be used continuously to improve the performance of the force. The low presence of officers on the roads will only get worse if a six-story building is built to house them. It would be better to spend the funds to establish and staff police outposts in each community.
Crime prevention is more effective if the officers are in the communities where the crime has been occurring. They were given equipment by the Chinese and the result was numerous road accidents and the lack of care for the hard to come by equipment. The inability of police officers to maintain control of something as basic as our roads is a very visible indicator of the urgent improvement needed. When our citizens see that the minibuses are no longer speeding and there is order and reduced noise coming from this segment of the transportation system, we will know that the GPF is headed in the correct direction.
It is difficult for an officer to be respected by a bus conductor or a bus driver if officers are taking bribes to turn the other way as the laws are broken. When “lef something” is a phrase of the past, maybe then these individuals will fear the police and think twice before attempting to raise their hands to assault an officer of the Force. Remember the phrase “You can’t be wrong and strong”. Let it guide you in your decisions. A significant reduction in crime is needed, and the GPF must start by improving the accountability and internal discipline of its members. It is important that the Ministry of Home Affairs and the leadership of the GPF jointly come up with a strategy that will help the GPF improve its performance and reputation.
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans
of Guyana
