Letter: Members of the Media Should not Propagate False Information Even if it Emanates From “official sources

Dear Editor,

I feel compelled to write this letter for the edification of your readers. The Corporate Communications Unit of the Guyana Police Force and several media outlets, both social and mainstream, have been incorrectly referring to several senior officers in the Guyana Police Force as “Deputy Commissioner” or “Deputy Commissioner (ag)”. The Guyana Police Force currently has no Deputy Commissioner, either substantive or acting. The last Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Paul Williams, retired from the Force on May 1, 2024, having reached the mandatory retirement age of fifty-five. No one has been appointed to that rank since.
Assistant Commissioners Calvin Brutus, and Ravindradat Budhram, who held the portfolios of “Administration” and “Operations”, respectively, were carrying out the functions of those offices, which are usually held by persons holding the rank of Deputy Commissioner. There is a significant difference between a person carrying out the functions of a Deputy Commissioner and one who is acting in that rank.

Article 211 (1) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana states “The Commissioner of Police and every Deputy Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and the Chairperson of the Police Service Commission after the Chairperson has consulted with the other members of the Commission”. It should be noted that the Constitution clearly states that the same procedure as outlined above applies to persons acting in those two offices.

It therefore follows that unless the provisions of the relevant articles of the Constitution are followed there can be no Deputy Commissioner or acting Deputy Commissioner. The Assistant Commissioners, or any other rank holding those offices are merely carrying out the functions of the offices.

I must be noted that Clifton Hicken was appointed, under controversial circumstances, to act as Commissioner of Police. As a result, he wears the badge of rank of Commissioner of Police, and correctly so. Brutus and Budhram have been wearing the badge of Assistant Commissioner because they were never appointed to act as Deputy Commissioner.

It is important that members of the media report on issues as accurately as possible. They should not propagate false and misleading information, even when that information emanates from “official sources”.

Paul Slowe CCH, DSM,
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)
Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission.