Berbicians upset over Slowe’s removal
-cite political interference
by Daniel Da Costa
Stabroek News
May 4, 2003
A wide cross-section of Berbicians, including several prominent businessmen, are upset over the decision announced earlier this week to remove Assistant Com-missioner, Paul Slowe as Commander of ‘B’ Division, saying that it smacks of political interference.
The Commissioner of Police informed Slowe earlier this week that he should report to him tomorrow morning for re-assignment and further instructions.
This newspaper understands that Slowe is to be re-assigned to the Ministry of Finance as head of the Financial Investigative Unit.
This is a position outside of the force which he did not seek and he has yet to be informed as to the conditions under which he would be seconded if he agreed to the move.
Legal sources have told Stabroek News that a police officer cannot be sent on secondment out of the force without his consent. They point out that if he is being disciplined for disobeying the instructions of Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj then the move is illegal, as the minister cannot legally issue instructions to an officer of the police force.
Stabroek News has learnt from sources close to Slowe that he would make a decision about the secondment once he learns from the Commis-sioner the conditions of his secondment and how his benefits, accrued over nearly three decades in the force, would be safeguarded as well as his seniority and other related issues.
This newspaper understands that another officer was identified for the ministry post but that the Office of the President decided that he did not have the required seniority neither was he computer literate.
PNCR leader Robert Corbin called the transfer a most obnoxious instance of political interference into the operations of the force. He said that it was this sort of interference that the commission of inquiry into the operations of the police force would highlight.
He said that this sort of meddling in the professional responsibilities of the force had fuelled its ineffectiveness and that the officers should object to this sort of meddling.
Slowe’s removal comes in the wake of his refusal to apologise to Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj for disobeying an order from the minister to return a firearm belonging to a prominent Rosignol businessman, whose son was injured in a shooting incident at the businessman’s West Coast Berbice home.
Both the man and his son are said to be holders of firearm licences, although ballistics tests found that the father’s weapon was not used in the shooting.
According to the source, the Commissioner subsequently asked Slowe to apologise to the minister.
One legal source said the minister had “no legal authority to instruct a police officer to act in a certain manner contrary to the law and to interfere in a criminal investigation.
The commissioner also acted outside of his jurisdiction by demanding that a senior officer should apologise to a politician while he [the former] was in the process of exercising his duty in accordance with the law.”
A number of Berbicians reacted angrily to the news of the decision saying Slowe was a well-liked, professional and efficient officer. One prominent businessman said since Slowe was assigned to the division the level of crime had gone down while a degree of confidence had returned to the office of the Commander.
Another businessman said “the decision is an indication of the level of political interference in the operations of the Guyana Police Force and possibly other state agencies. This action would have serious repercussions not only for the police force but also for the entire nation since it is an indication that unless you obey the instructions of the political directorate you would lose your job. Mr Slowe was merely executing his job in a professional manner and for this he... [is to be] removed from the police force.”
One member of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce lamented the fact that a senior officer with one of the best track records was being removed at a time when the government said the force was in dire need of additional ranks and qualified officers with leadership qualities. “What message is the government sending to the public and in particular members of the force who may be desirous of pursuing a career within the force?”
One Corentyne town councillor told this newspaper that the decision was obviously meant to send a direct message to other members of the force and government employees that “unless you toe the line and obey political directives you will be out of a job.”
A senior civil servant asked to comment on the sudden decision to remove Slowe from the force pointed out that “in the past some senior police officers were seconded to ministries and state agencies but this was done following discussions and mutual agreement. The officers were consulted and the conditions of service, salaries and other issues were agreed upon prior to any decision. This is however a completely different story and smells of pure victimisation since it follows his refusal to obey an illegal order from a politician.”
Stabroek News has learnt that in 2001, Gajraj had ordered Slowe to release a man who was being held in the New Amsterdam police lock-ups which he refused to do. He reported the matter to then Commissioner of Police Laurie Lewis, who in turn wrote to the President protesting the interference of the minister.
Those with whom Stabroek News spoke are calling on President Jagdeo to rescind the decision since they say it could have far-reaching consequences.
