The Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Associations (CFPWA) has condemned a move by the Commissioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie to recognize as legitimate the elections of the Guyana Police Association which resulted in Detective Inspector Prem Narine being elected chairman.
On May 11, 2021, two separate elections were held for key offices within Guyana Police Association resulting in both Inspector Prim Narine and Inspector Rosanne Forde, being elected chairman.
The Commissioner of Police (ag) had nullified both elections, however, in a letter dated May 12, 2021 addressed to Forde, the current chairman, he said based on a review of the Police Act , Standing Orders, and legal advised received, the first election is now deemed valid.
“In my capacity as Commissioner of Police, I am now directing that the first elections held at 10:00h on Tuesday, May 11, 2021 be recognized as the valid and binding elections of office bearers to the Guyana Police Association and that the persons duly elected at those elections be recognized as the official holders of the offices to which they have been elected,” Commissioner Hoppie said in the letter.
However, this decision has not sit well with the Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Association (CFPWA), which has accused the Administration of the Guyana Police Force of engaging in gamesmanship.
“We recognize the unfortunately challenging environment that faces our Guyanese police colleagues. It is our view that this level of skullduggery and high-handed behaviour by the administrators of the Police Service is designed to the detriment of the legitimately elected body lead by Inspector Rosanne Forde,” the Caribbean police federation said.
It maintained that the elections of the Guyana Police Association must be free, fair, and transparent, in accordance with the prescribed rules.
“The level of gamesmanship displayed by the administrators of the Guyana Police Force on May 11th, 2021 is deeply regrettable. This has left much to be desired, and it does not portrait who we are as Caribbean Police Officers. This is a dark day in the history of Caribbean Policing and definitely for welfare,” it said.
The Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Association expressed concern and disappointment
that the Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus usurped the
responsibility of the legitimate Chairman and called an election without the knowledge of the
sitting Chairman Inspector Forde.
“We are also concerned that the Acting Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie DSM on May 11th,
2021 declared both elections null and void then back paddled and accepted the results of an
illegitimate election. The Federation is seriously concerned that a Commissioner of Police who
must have some appreciation for the rule of law would acquiesce at a retrenchment of a
legitimately elected body mandated to serve its three-year tenure. This is not our finest
hour as long as this miscarriage of justice is accepted,” it said.
It also questioned the decision of the Guyana Police Force to conduct the elections earlier than required.
“ The question remains unanswered what empowers the Commissioner of Police to retrench a legitimately
elected body by some 293 days when Section 10 (3) of the Association Rules empowers the Association
to serve for three years. It is on this basis the Caribbean Federation of Police Welfare Association refuse
to acknowledge the illegal and illegitimate association derived from such elections,” it said.
The Cairbbean Police Federation said that the improper conduct by the administrators of the force must
be immediately addressed and we call on the Police Service Commission, the Minister of Home Affairs
Robenson Benn and the Attorney General Anil Nandlall to abort the apparent cacophony of systemic
institutional misconduct and miscarriage of justice engineered by the Acting Commissioner of Police and
his administrators.
