Younge’s Tragic Death Exposes Deep Wounds in a Broken System – Senior Counsel Forde

In a strongly worded critique of the current state of governance in Guyana, Opposition Member of Parliament Roysdale Forde, S.C., has accused the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government of undermining democratic institutions and presiding over a law enforcement system that is “dysfunctional” and dangerously compromised.

Writing in his column today, Forde expressed grave concerns over what he describes as the politicisation and deterioration of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), asserting that the Force no longer serves the public but instead operates under the control of the PPP/C regime. “Records and reports would show that the Force is dysfunctional and is in need of urgent reform,” Forde wrote. “All Guyanese should be very afraid of the consequences of the dysfunctionality of the law enforcement arm of the state.”

The scathing critique follows a string of controversies involving the police and judiciary, including the still-contentious case surrounding the suspicious death of Adriana Younge at the Double Day Hotel, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo.

According to Forde, the police’s mishandling of the investigation—ranging from denying family access to the resort to contradictory statements about surveillance footage—has only fueled public distrust.

While an autopsy concluded that Younge died from drowning, Forde pointed out that no official report has been made public. “The President’s comment on the findings can hardly be seen as an official report,” he said, further questioning the transparency and professionalism of the investigation.

Beyond the Younge case, Forde underscored the long-standing calls for police reform that have gone unheeded. He cited the 2024 Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) proposal for a National Commission on Democratic Policing and the 2023 Police Complaints Authority report, which exposed widespread ignorance among officers about citizens’ rights and their own powers of arrest.

In addition to law enforcement issues, Forde turned his focus to the judiciary, condemning the government for its continued failure to substantively appoint a Chancellor and Chief Justice. Both Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire have been acting in their respective positions since 2017, a situation Forde claims has led to a “crisis of confidence” in the judiciary’s independence.

He also criticised the President’s 2022 dissolution of the Police Service Commission and the subsequent unilateral appointment of Clifton Hicken as acting Commissioner of Police, which Forde contends violated constitutional provisions requiring meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

“These actions reflect a concerning trend of undermining constitutional processes and state institutions,” Forde warned. “The continued delay is inimical to the independence of the judiciary and threatens the very fabric of Guyana’s democracy.”

Citing data from a 2022 World Justice Project report, which found that only 33% of Guyanese trust the police to act without corruption, Forde laid blame squarely at the feet of the PPP/C administration.

He alleged that the government has failed to match its anti-corruption rhetoric with tangible reforms and suggested that stagnant police salaries and a lack of oversight are part of a broader strategy to control the force through political loyalty.

“The tragic death of Adrianna Younge serves as a stark reminder of the systemic issues plaguing the politically controlled GPF,” Forde concluded. “To restore public trust, there must be a commitment to transparency, accountability, and genuine reform.”