-Top Cop
Acting Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell yesterday declared that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is in full support of embattled Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, who is facing scrutiny from the opposition and the public.
“The force is behind you with whatever you do. Many of us who had different views… Externally, people can make comments but you have to be internal to know what it is… Don’t judge a book by its cover,” Brumell said during his address at the re-commissioning of the Cove and John Police Station.
Rohee, later making reference to the statement, said he is very happy to be informed that the GPF supports him and that this is highlighted in the media, particularly the Kaieteur News. “The whole country should know that the minister and the force is at one… We are united in terms of objectives and where we want to take the Guyana Police Force,” he stated.
“I saw some letters or lectures I should say in the papers given to police about how they should conduct their operational activities by some of these people who call themselves experts in public safety and security issues… I’m not an expert. Only thing I’m an expert is in politics. That I know well and that I will stick to. I have no interest in becoming an expert in policing. I have no interest in becoming an expert in security matters, simply because today or tomorrow, the President ask me to serve somewhere else, well that ambition to be an expert in one area or the other goes up in smoke,” Rohee stated.
He said he was asked to fulfil his responsibility and has to remain strong and purposeful, even as he encouraged ranks to always keep the people in mind in respect to their words and deeds. “That’s what has been uppermost in my mind when I came to the Ministry of Home Affairs,” he added.
Rohee said that although achievements such as the re-commissioning of a police station should be welcomed, there is still much negativity circulating, which he blamed on politics. “Need to take the politics out of it… who is competent and who is not, I think that is bare politics,” he stated.
According to Rohee, instead of persons attempting to distort what is occurring within the security sector, they should get more immediately involved to develop a better understanding.
“Forget what people talk about in the media, these are just political statements being made. Let them go to the budget and to the current and capital estimates made for the past five years and see the increases of money being made available to the Guyana Police Force over the years. I, as the Minister, know based on my own involvement, on my own interaction with the force, we know exactly what is taking place in the force. Maybe it’s our fault we don’t talk more about these things, that we don’t provide more information about these things that are taking place. Maybe we ought to criticise ourselves for that. Not because we don’t talk about these things that they are not happening, they are happening and the truth cannot be hidden by political propaganda. Developments are occurring in the Guyana Police Force but we need to speak more of these developments because it seem those who speak contrary to the development seem to be getting more publicity than those who speak in favour and this is regrettable,” Rohee said.
He further stated that these persons should arrange interviews with Brumell to be better informed. “Have they ever called the Commissioner on the phone? They don’t have to call me because they done say they want to get rid of me… Call the commissioner and ask for a meeting to speak on everything that has been happening with the Guyana Police Force. Have a meeting with these critics who don’t know or refuse to know… I don’t believe that is fair,” he stated.
