President Irfaan Ali has suspended all five members of the Police Service Commission (PSC) including its Chairman, former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe with immediate effect pending an investigation.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that letters were dispatched to the members yesterday afternoon informing them of the decision.
The four other members of the PSC are retired Assistant Com-missioner of Police, Clinton Conway, Claire Jarvis, Michael Somersall and Vesta Adams.
In the letter addressed to Conway, Ali noted that the decision was taken based on advice given by Prime Minister, Mark Phillips.
“Please be informed that by letters dated the 15th June, 2021, the Prime Minister of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the Honourable Brigadier (Retired) Mark Anthony Phillips, MSS, the prescribed authority under the provisions of Article 225 of the Constitution of Co-operative Republic of Guyana, has advised me that the question of your removal as a member of the Police Service Commission ought to be investigated and that you ought to be suspended from performing the functions of that office with immediate effect pending those investigations,” the letter stated.
“I have accepted the aforementioned advice and shall establish a tribunal in the manner prescribed by Article 225 which shall inquire into the matter and report on the facts thereof to me and recommend whether you ought to be removed from office,” it added.
The President informed the PSC members that a tribunal will be established to conduct an investigation.
“In the circumstances, you are hereby suspended with immediate effect from performing the functions of Member of the Police Service Commission pending the establishment of the aforementioned tribunal,” the letter said.
Slowe is among a number of former and serving members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who are accused of defrauding the force of more than $10 million after being engaged by the then Police Commissioner Leslie James to review the organisation’s Standing Orders.
The suspensions come weeks after Phillips wrote to Slowe and Conway asking them to show cause why the charges of fraud leveled against them should not result in their removal from the PSC.
“It has been brought to my attention that you have been charged with the offence of conspiracy to defraud…and placed before the Georgetown magistrates court (where) the matter remains pending…I hereby direct that you show cause in writing why I ought not to advise…that you be removed from the office of a member of the [PSC] as a result thereof,” the letter read.
In the letter, Phillips said he is exercising powers granted under Article 225 of the Guyana Constitution which directs that a person shall not be removed from a constitutional office except for inability to discharge the function or for misbehaviour.
The article further provides that a constitutional office holder can be removed by the President if an appointed tribunal recommends their removal.
Such a tribunal is appointed following the advice of a “prescribed authority” in this case the Prime Minister and is to be constituted in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). There is currently no functioning JSC.
Notably the article grants the president the right to suspend the office holder while the tribunal conducts investigations.
The PSC members had been directed to respond by May 31 either via email or through hand- delivered hard copy to the Prime Minister’s Office or official residence. In response, Slowe and Conway supplied affidavits and supporting documents.
The move also comes two days before the acting Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane George is expected to rule on a matter which is currently engaging the court regarding the promotion of police officers who have pending disciplinary matters.
The promotions were put on hold after the CJ granted an order blocking the ascent of several senior members within the force to the rank of Assistant Com-missioner of Police.
Slowe and Conway are among the respondents in the matter.
