The recent differences in opinions between Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud and his second in Command, Deputy Commissioner David Ramnarine, regarding the promotion of several ranks within the Guyana Police Force (GPF), will be addressed by Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan.
This is according to State Minister, Joseph Harmon, who at a post-Cabinet media briefing today, at the Ministry of the Presidency, stated that in large organisations, there would always be some level of conflict.
However, he explained that due to the importance of the GPF to the national security structure, “it is important that these matters that occur in the public space, in the media, that they be dealt with in another way.”
Minister Harmon added that, “The issues that came into the public space, are issues that could have been dealt with internally…Th[e] question or writing letters here and there.”
The Minister noted that if a subordinate has done something which requires a reprimand, or some amount of proper assigning, those things can be done internally. “In fact, the President said he prefers that you have public praise and private reprimand, so that if something like that is done, the person is brought in and you say, man what is it you’ve done here? Let us correct it.”
Ramnarine was appointed to act as Police Commissioner for a 100-day period whilst his superior was on annual leave. The acting Commissioner then, with advice and the support of the force’s top management, promoted several ranks for their outstanding services and actions during this period. Upon his return, Commissioner Seelall instructed that all of the promotions approved by Ramnarine be rescinded.
