Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 17, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
I have been following the public debate on the troubling issue of the alleged sexual abuse of a Juvenile who was in the care of the City Constabulary. The act was perpetrated by a Lance Corporal who was the Subordinate Officer in Charge of the Regent Street Station and roster to work the 11:00 — 07:00 hours shift on Wednesday 23rd August 2017.
As a consequence of my interest, I have noted a number of statements being made by the Mayor, attributing blame to the City Constabulary and particularly the Chief Constable, the most recent accusations being made on October 23 at the Council’s statutory meeting. She accused the Chief Constable of failing to submit a report in a timely manner to allow for a hearing into the report made by the victim.
In this regard, it is necessary that I provide some clarity to the disturbing misinformation being disseminated to the public, and which seems to have an ulterior motive of shifting blame from the alleged immoral act and crime which was allegedly committed within the confines of the Station by the perpetrator, to the Chief Constable, and others for reporting and acting on the issue.
While time will not permit me to respond to all of the issues raised as a consequence of this occurrence, I wish to therefore to inform that having received the report about 10:30 hours on the said date of the incident, from Corporal 1749 Quacey Baveghems, I immediately informed the Town Clerk and Mayor of the reported act committed on the Juvenile within our custody by the accused Lance Corporal.
It should be noted that about half an hour after the report was made to the Mayor, the Mayor returned a call to me enquiring if she heard correct as to what was reported. I then again related to her the story which was reported to me by my subordinates. Interestingly the Mayor related that she had heard similar allegations about the reporter and as such, I need to be careful in dealing with the report and should take statements.
It is evident, therefore, that there was no delay on behalf of the City Constabulary in reporting this criminal offence to higher authority. It is compulsory as a department that the Constabulary obtains the fiat of the Town Clerk in such matters and as such there was no deviation from procedure or impediment preventing the matter being handed to the Guyana Police Force.
The Mayor’s pronouncement, therefore, that she was awaiting a report which took two weeks, and that there were a number of lapses as additional statements were required, is an indication that there was an intention to treat the matter internally without regard to the statute and outside of the purview of the relevant agencies.
It was never the City Constabulary’s intention to delay this matter by seeking to obtain additional statements as it was determined, that the statement of the victim and the witness would suffice for higher authority to place the matter into the hands of the Police.
Further, it should be noted that at two successive meetings of the Legal Affairs and Security Committee, called to address this issue, the Mayor found it necessary not only to attend but to usurp the committee authority. She castigated the Chief Constable and Officers for perceived dereliction of duty and called for them to be sanctioned. This posture infringed on the independence of the committee to be impartial and to be properly guided on the proceedings on which the committee embarked.
Any further hearing at this forum is marred as a result of the prejudicial behaviour of the Chief Citizen to cast blame and carry out a public lynching of the Chief Constable. In retrospect, I can only conclude that the accused having been dismissed in 2016 at the hands of the Chief Constable for a similar sexual offence is sacrosanct, as shortly after his dismissal he was reemployed at the behest of the Mayor, having been deemed to be fit and proper for service with the Municipality.
In the prevailing circumstances, it may be beneficial if some thought is given to excerpts of the Honorable Public Security Minister’s statement, “Police will improve” dated October 12, 2017.
Andrew.H. Foo
Assistant Commissioner Chief Constable
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