Improving the Disciplined Forces
What the People say about...
By Johann Earle with photos by Jules Gibson
Stabroek News
September 22, 2003
While the Disciplined Forces Commission hearings are underway, we sought the views of members of the public as to what they thought should be done to improve the police force, the army and the fire and prison services. These were their responses:
Carlon Douglas - Self employed: ‘The police force does not have a proper Internal Affairs Bureau. This is needed if actions performed by police officers are to be properly investigated. I feel also that the army should not be doing police work. They should be left to patrol the country’s borders. The equipment made available to firemen is not sufficient for them to do their job safely. More fire stations and fire tenders are needed, as well as training for firemen.’
Pooran Singh - Farmer: ‘Maybe the reason some members of the forces are not performing is because of low pay. There are also too many race issues within the forces and this might have been caused by the older generation. Those should be thrown out. If racism is left out of the forces, especially the army and police, things will be better. The army should be left to do its work, likewise the police. The police needs to be strengthened to properly function on its own.’
Shondell Hamilton - Self-employed: ‘I think that the police needs to be a little more disciplined. They come and operate as if they are the bad guys. The army is a better force. Some policemen don’t listen to anything anyone has to say. Some kind of organisation has to look into how the police operates. I agree with the army doing the work of police because they seem to be more disciplined. I do not agree with the proposal made at the DFC hearing that the forces should be unionised. If there is a strike, who will fight the crime, protect the borders and guard the prisons?’
Roxanne Wilson - Concerned Guyanese: ‘Members of the police force must operate the way they used to years ago. There was never this many incidents of police shootings. As long as this continues, people will lose respect that they once had for the police. If it is necessary that the army has to assist the police, then so be it. At least the soldiers are more mannerly.’
Frank Berchman - Security Guard: ‘People in the forces have to give respect and they will earn respect, regardless of race or colour. I think that the police is using too much force and that shouldn’t be. Law enforcers are supposed to protect the citizens of Guyana.’
Carlon Josiah - Mechanic: ‘Young members of the army need to be disciplined, but in addition to that they receive low pay. Better pay can boost morale and drive. The army should be allowed to help the police because they are better trained and equipped to perform certain functions. They are better trained in the setting up of road blocks. I still experience very slow reactions when I go to report an incident and persons are getting a hard time when seeking police clearance. I think that the police can become more efficient in these areas.’
Darindra Narine - Student: ‘The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) needs training in areas of technology as the training they receive is not sufficient. For this foreign help should be sought. The GDF should not be doing the work that the police is supposed to do. The police force’s capacity to carry out investigative work needs to be enhanced. There are people there who cannot fully function because they are not well trained enough. With regards to the prisons, the question of over-population should be addressed as this poses a danger to the prison administration.’
Leelawattie Inderdeo - Teacher: ‘I believe that salary increases can improve the forces. The fact that the army has to come to the aid of the police tells [us] that the police is not as strong a force as it should be. However, the army should continue to help the police. There should be more fire stations along the East Coast of Demerara.’
Zulaika Mohamed - Housewife: ‘Training and better pay are important if the forces are to be improved. I believe that the army and police should continue to work together to fight crime.’
Eve Joseph - Student: ‘Things can be improved in all of the disciplined forces if they all do their own work. The GDF helping the police proves that the latter is not very strong.’
