UK getting “value for money” in SOCU’s operation – British High Commissioner

─ SOCU’s cases confer to UK’s standards of evidence

DPI, Guyana, Friday, August 24, 2018

The British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn today said the United Kingdom (UK) is getting value for money as it relates to the operation of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), under the guidance of Financial Investigations Advisor, Dr. Sam Sittlington.

High Commissioner Quinn believes SOCU is preparing cases which confer to the standards of evidence being used in the UK. He reminded that SOCU is an investigatory body and not a prosecutorial one.

“That sort of investigative side, I think is working well but then the next step, which is not one that we [UK] are involved in. The next step is out of our control in many ways. All SOCU can do is put forward good cases that can be looked at and considered for prosecution,” he noted.

The cases now being put forward by SOCU are good, “so SOCU is doing its job,” said the High Commissioner.

In addition, under the Security Sector Reform Project (SSRP), a number of activities are being funded by the UK government with guidance from Advisor, Colonel Russel Combe, the most recent being a review of Guyana Police Force (GPF) training.

A report has been submitted to President David Granger and the Commissioner of Police for review and the High Commissioner is hopeful that the report will be made public shortly, following discussion by the Cabinet.

Training, he believes, will have a more obvious effect on the members of the Guyana Police Force, as well as improvement in infrastructure.

By: Stacy Carmichael

Image: Jameel Mohamed