Do the right thing, President Ali!

Oct 17, 2024 Peeping Tom

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Peeping Tom…

Kaieteur News – An independent review of the investigation into allegations against a senior police officer is more than just a call for due diligence; it is a call to preserve public trust in the institutions that serve us.

It is a recognition that, in times of doubt, the strength of a democracy is tested not by its ability to protect its own but by its willingness to open itself to scrutiny. This is not the first time such a measure has been taken in our country, and there is a compelling case for it to be undertaken once more.

When serious allegations of rape were levelled against the former Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene, the gravity of the situation demanded a response beyond the bounds of internal review. To that end, a team of investigators from Jamaica was invited to review the investigation. It was a gesture that acknowledged the limits of our local processes and recognized the importance of an independent perspective. The presence of the external investigators did not undermine the work of local law enforcement; rather, it reinforced it, lending credibility to the process and offering the public reassurance that justice would not be clouded by internal loyalties.

Similarly, when unrest erupted on the West Coast Berbice in 2020 after the tragic killing of two teenagers, the Regional Security System (RSS) was called upon for support. The unrest had laid bare deep-seated tensions, and the RSS’s involvement was critical in easing those tensions. It was a reminder that, sometimes, we must look beyond our borders to find the balance between authority and accountability.

Now, the situation calls for that balance once more. The allegations against the senior police officer—and the fact that these allegations touch upon money laundering, a complex and deeply entrenched crime—demand the kind of scrutiny that goes beyond our usual investigative capacity. The Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) has done important work, but it is not immune to the limitations that can beset any institution working within the confines of national law enforcement framework. It is not a question of doubting the competence of SOCU but of recognizing that the task before them may require expertise they do not fully possess.

Money laundering is a labyrinthine crime, one that can weave itself through financial systems with the kind of subtlety that evades detection by even the most diligent of investigators. It is a crime that knows no borders, and that requires a particular kind of investigative insight. The RSS, with its regional mandate and its ability to draw on regional expertise, could lend exactly that insight. Their involvement would be a boon to the investigation, not only bolstering the process with their expertise but also offering the kind of independence that can give the public confidence in the outcome.

The government, and the President in particular, would do well to invite the RSS to review the investigation. This is not a gesture of weakness or of distrust in local capabilities; it is, rather, an affirmation of our commitment to justice. It is a way of saying to the people that we are willing to go the extra mile to ensure that our institutions serve them, that no stone will be left unturned when it comes to investigating those who hold positions of power. Such a step would underscore a fundamental democratic principle: that no one is above the law, and that the higher the office, the greater the responsibility to uphold the integrity of the process.

Some may argue that inviting the RSS could suggest a lack of faith in our own institutions. But history has shown that the opposite is true. When the Jamaican investigators were invited to review the case against Henry Greene, it was not an admission of failure but of the determination to seek the truth. When the RSS came in after the unrest in 2020, it was not because we could not manage our own affairs but because we understood that an outside perspective could bring clarity to a murky situation. In both instances, the outcome was a stronger, more resilient response to complex challenges.

In the present case, the stakes are high, not just for the individuals involved but for the credibility of the institutions charged with enforcing the law. SOCU has been entrusted with a difficult mandate, and there is no shame in acknowledging that, in this instance, they could benefit from the additional resources and experience that the RSS could provide. To do so would be to put the interests of justice above the interests of pride, to ensure that the public can have faith in the process and in the outcome.

Moreover, the call for an independent review is about more than the specifics of the case. It is about the broader message it sends: that our nation is one where transparency and accountability are not just words on paper but values that we live by. It is about showing that we are willing to open ourselves to external review, when necessary, that we are not afraid of what such a review might reveal, because we believe that the pursuit of truth is worth the risk.

(Do the right thing, President Ali!)

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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• framework, Henry Greene, police, SOCU, West Coast Berbice, willingness

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