With last week's appointment of Winston Felix as Police Commissioner the police force is expected to undergo long-awaited reforms. We decided to ask the public what are some of the changes they expect the new Commissioner to make. Here were the responses we got:
Alicia Kendall - housewife: `I expect the new commissioner to reduce the crime rate and arrest the other wanted criminals who are still on the loose. He also needs to clean up the police force. We all know that they are a lot of corrupt policemen in the force and he should look into that right away. He seems to believe he can do it and we will wait and see what he will do. If anything goes wrong he should know that we will be holding him accountable.'
Roy Causway - security guard: `I really appreciate the new police commissioner because he is a well-trained man and I believe that he will achieve a lot of the changes that people have been expecting. We need to see change at the police stations. We need to see change in their performance. We shouldn't have to beg or pay them to listen to our reports. When you make a report, they must come and investigate. Right now, that doesn't happen. But I think the time is now and I expect great changes from Mr. Felix.'
Eddie Singh - farmer: `I don't know if it will happen but I think the police force should have nothing to do with politics. Policemen should stay neutral and work along with any government. I think the race question has a lot to do with policing and right now one race has a majority. People might say I am a racist but I am not. It is the truth. Right now, there are a lot of policemen who actually side with the bandits because of race. I think we can have better policemen if the two races are equal in the force. God made all of us equal. Felix now has responsibility and I hope he could get more races to join.
Melanie Flatts - student: `Policemen are trying to protect us but they need to learn how to treat the citizenry. There are a lot of times when you hear that the police have been beating some of the people that are arrested. Then there are the traffic policemen: I was in a bus the other day when a police van stopped us. I saw the conductor give like $5,000 to the policeman and they just drove off. That's bad. They are out there, they shouldn't be doing that. It's a serious problem. A lot of people have been getting away with a lot of things and that has to change.'
Theron Henry - graphic designer: `One of the things that they need to do is train the ranks to deal with people. Policemen are very rude to people. They approach situations very violently and if you approach a man in that manner, he is going to react the same way. Even when they approach you, the majority of them don't even show you an ID card. Besides that, the force needs to get more qualified people. More educated people in the police force means better policing and better policemen. I think the criteria should be at least 3 CXCs, including Mathematics and English. The traffic department also needs changes. Policemen stop you now, take away your licence and then ask you to go the station when they could just give you a ticket. We are so way back it's not funny. I hope that Felix can make some changes, he seems to have the confidence.'
Sherlock Heywood - huckster: `With the crime situation in the country I would anticipate that he would make some adjustments to the force to get the policemen better prepared and more professional. The force also needs to boost its recruitment so that he could put more patrols on the road. More patrols mean greater security. There might also be elements in the force that need to be purged to make it more efficient. Also, people have complained about extra-judicial killings and unnecessary harassment. I only read about it in the newspapers but I think the public image of the force can be improved a lot. They also need to work on their public relations. I think that it could only be a new era if he works to ensure that it is. If he fails he will end up facing the same reality like the man who came before him.'
D. Plass: `I think he needs to build a stronger police force which can reduce the crime rate in the country. He has to look at police corruption. It should not happen. The force should not be fighting itself. I expect Felix to do a good job. I expect him to do a far better job than (former police commissioner Floyd) McDonald. Once he stands strong as a commissioner they can do what they couldn't do over the last couple of years.'
Enid Smith - `I expect him to do what is best for the people. The Police Force needs to be more strict and more professional. Right now, some policemen don't even have mere courtesy when you approach them to make a report. If you are old or young, they don't have any respect whatsoever. Especially the young ones, they don't have any manners or respect for any one. And when you are advanced in age, they don't treat you nicely. If I am going across the road, the policemen on duty don't even stop to help me. Another thing is that it takes so long when you go to make a report at the stations. I went to the station to make a report at 8 in the morning and I did not leave until after 12!'
Robert Seeram - lands and survey technician: `I want an end to the unsolved crimes: the unsolved murders. I want to walk on the street in peace. I think Mr. Felix can achieve those things now (but not) without the co-operation of the public. He needs the full co-operation of the public. He can't solve the crimes himself. There are people with information who want to come forward but they don't have any confidence in the force. They know that there have been some leakages. When people make reports they are supposed to be confidential. I think restoring the public's trust in the police force is the most important thing right now.'
Nalini Hanoman - housewife: `Everybody is hoping for the best and I hope that there is an end to the crime. There were so many murders and kidnappings, almost everyday, we can't go back to that. I believe Felix is the man to make the change. I want to feel normal again.'