The Guyana Police Force today said that senior officers of the force expressed concern at a management team meeting last Wednesday about statements that had been made by Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee at a recent Community Policing Workshop but that the matter had now been resolved.
A statement from the police force did not detail the remarks made by Rohee that had caused disquiet but the Minister in his own statement this evening explained his use of the phrase `kick ass’ at the meeting in question.
The police statement said:
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to state that cognisant of certain statements made by the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs at a recent Community Policing Workshop and which were later publicised by the media, Senior Officers of the Police Force expressed concern about what they considered to be “inappropriate statements” at a meeting of the Force’s Senior Management Team last Wednesday.
“The Force Administration subsequently discussed these concerns with higher Government authorities and is satisfied with the response given and actions taken in the matter.
“The Guyana Police Force wishes to make it clear that the Force has no ongoing issue with the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs in relation to the statements made and considers the matter closed.
“The Police Force takes this opportunity to reassure the public that the police will continue working towards fulfilling its mission that is in cooperation with the state, the society and citizens of Guyana, to provide service and protection by preventing and detecting crime, maintaining law and order, controlling traffic, safeguarding property and preserving the peace through the provision of the highest standard of professional police service with integrity and dedication, using our unique law enforcement powers.”
Following the police statement, Rohee this evening issued his own statement explaining the `kick ass’ statement.
The statement follows:
“The Kaieteur News is at mischief making once again. This time it has embarked on a ploy aimed at driving a wedge between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Guyana Police Force.
“This is not the first time Kaieteur News has attempted this mischievous enterprise suffice it to say all previous attempts failed primarily because the stories were concocted and contrived to mislead the public in general and in this case ranks of the Guyana Police Force.
“At a meeting with senior representatives of the Guyana Police Force and Divisional Executives of the Community Policing Organization, I said it was frustrating to learn from time to time about the unprofessional and disdainful manner with which members of Community Policing Groups are treated at some Police Stations. I referred to the position of senior ranks of the Force and more particularly at the Annual Police Officers’ Conference where senior officers have consistently declared in favour of Government’s policy in respect to the role and place of Community Policing as an integral part of Government’s crime fighting strategy.
“I emphasized that since this is the position at the top echelons of the Force then it must be so at the bottom of the Organization and therefore such treatment meted out to members of the Community Policing Groups at that level is unacceptable.
“I went on to speak about my role as a politician and Minister of Home Affairs to represent the interests of the Guyanese people. I pointed out that I know that because of the positions I adopted as a Minister of Government since 1992, there are people `out there’ who are waiting to kick my ass and that I intend to kick ass knowing this to be the case.
“As would be read by any reasonable person, the statement was directed at the critics (`people out there’) of Government’s policies on Security and Public Order. The Statement was not particularlized to the Guyana Police Force in no way whatsoever as the Kaieteur News sought to mischievously make out. `People out there’ is quite different and not the same as ranks of the Guyana Police Force.
“It is interesting to note that when former Commissioner of Police Winston Felix made his contribution to the 2012 Budget Debate in the National Assembly he stated;
`Bribery and corruption were rampant features in the Guyana Police Force’
“As is typical of the Kaieteur News it solicited the views of Ranks in relation to my statement notwithstanding the fact that Felix’s statement can be considered more damaging to the image of the Force than the Minister of Home Affairs’ statement. But the Kaieteur News has a political agenda vis-à-vis the Government of Guyana and this episode demonstrates another attempt to cause division and confusion within the ranks of the Guyana Police Force.
“If it is true, it is unfortunate that some ranks of the Guyana Police Force have allowed themselves to be misled by another concocted story by Kaieteur News they never sought to establish the facts by seeking clarification from the Ministry of Home Affairs which is now a stone’s throw away for Force Headquarters.
“I strongly deny any assertion or allegation that I used threats against any Police Officer or members of the Force on the day in question or on any other occasion.
“While it is true that I may have had differences of opinion with the Police from time to time, those matters have always been resolved amicably with the interest of this country being uppermost in our minds.
“The Minister of Home Affairs finds it necessary to expose this wicked, divisive cut and paste piece of journalism by the Kaieteur News.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs remains, as it has always been, committed to working with the Guyana Police Force to keep at the highest level possible, the safety and security of the citizens of Guyana”, Rohee said.
Rohee has also attracted ire over his instruction to Acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell to discipline Assistant Commander David Ramnarine over statements that the latter had made to the press over $90M that was to be allocated to the police force for the elections period. Critics have said that Rohee is interfering in the police’s work by giving instructions that he has no authority to issue.
