Gov’t continues to enforce zero-tolerance policy for corrupt law enforcement officials

GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, December 01, 2016

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan wants to leave little doubt about the consequences for those law enforcement officials who betray the duties of their offices.

Addressing the media at the Ministry of Public Security on Wednesday, Minister Ramjattan said these ‘corrupt’ officials would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

“… we know that there are massive amounts of drugs; cocaine, meth (methamphetamine) and cannabis out there and that they can have what is called this appealing effect on even our law enforcement officers,” Minister Ramjattan said. He said that the “big monies in these major drug deals,” have a corrupting influence with even the senior law enforcement officials, and “that is why ‘rogue cops must go’ is a theme of this administration and this Ministry,” the Minister said.

The administration’s zero-tolerance for corrupt law enforcement officials has thus far resulted in over 50 officers from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) being interdicted, charged and fired for various acts of misconduct. These include corrupt transactions, robbery under arms, larceny, and wounding.

Minister Ramjattan said that the administration will be using more stringent measures as it works to weed-out other corrupt officials in other security sector agencies. “We are going to do everything to scrutinise even some of the investigators and the investigations they have done to ensure that we catch them…we want this thing to come to a halt,” Minister Ramjattan said.

He said that the “cleanse” will include the Coast Guard, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) law enforcement section. The Minister said that, “once we start cleaning up the law enforcement, I think we are going to have a better security system.”

Ramjattan said the administration will continue to root out the rogue elements in law enforcement, and the public can also play its role. Minister Ramjattan called on the public to assist the administration in its effort. “We are going to do all in our capacity to turn this thing around. It is going to take some time but we are going to turn it around… and that is why I am telling the people I want them to speak out against rogue and corrupt cops and law officials,” the Minister said.

The administration’s efforts to get rid of rogue officials are aimed at professionalising the security sector to ensure that its mandate is delivered effectively. Steps in this regards have also seen moves to ensure a better quality of intake at the recruitment level, and the provision of more training for those officials that are already in the system.

 

By: Macalia Santos