Dear Editor,

I refer to a letter of complaint dated 2007.09.10 by Mr Baliram Persaud of Lot 19, Section B, Suddie Village, Essequibo Coast made to the President and copied to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Commissioner of Police and the Divisional Commander ‘G’ Division.

In his letter of complaint, Mr Baliram Persaud has alleged that investigations conducted by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility into a letter he had submitted to the Stabroek News has a “cover up”.

In his first letter to the Stabroek News dated 2007-08-03, Baliram Persaud had alleged that Constable 1877 Butters of the Tactical Services Unit had travelled from Georgetown on July 23, 2007 to Essequibo to give evidence in a traffic matter at the Suddie Court, but failed to do so as he went on a drinking spree and was too intoxicated to attend Court.

The subsequent investigation by the office of Professional Responsibility found that the rank had not testified because the matter was adjourned before he could have given his evidence and not because he was intoxicated.

A response to this effect was published in the Stabroek News of 2007-09-07 in reply to Baliram Persaud’s letter.

Consequent upon his letter of complaint to the President, further investigations were done by the Office of Professional Responsibility which contacted the Attorney at Law, Mr Latchmin Dindyal for the defence. Mr Dindyal supported the fact that Constable Butters was present at the Court hearing but was outside of the Court room as was required by law. He did request a postponement after completing cross examination of a prosecution witness on the day in question. He saw Constable Butters in Court thereafter.

The Magistrate Mr Maxwell Edwards also supports the version told by the Office of Professional Responsibility. He however says that when he called for the next witness prior to the adjournment, the Constable did not readily answer and he recorded him absent and granted an adjournment as requested by the defence. However, he was subsequently advised that the Constable was in the Court room.

It seems that Mr Baliram Persaud must have misconstrued the events of the day and perhaps needs to clarify issues before making public allegations of this nature.

Yours faithfully,

Henry Greene, DSM

Commissioner of Police (ag)