‘Do not reply’ says Police Commissioner after question on disappearance of $3 M reward from CID headquarters

Last Updated on Sunday, 11 July 2021, 14:53 by Denis Chabrol

Police Commissioner, Nigel Hoppie on Sunday issued an instruction presumably to the public relations team  after the media posed questions about the alleged disappearance of part of GYD$3 million reward for information concerning the killing of teenage cousins Joel and Isaiah Henry.

At 10:11 AM Sunday, reporter Travis Chase asked, “Morning Stan, Mark …… can you confirm that the $3 million dollar reward in the Joel and Isiah Henry case was handed over to CID and that part of that sum- if not all disappeared under the watch” of members of  the Police Force.

After no response was forthcoming by 11:38 AM, News-Talk Radio Guyana 103.1 FM/ Demerara Waves Online News suggested that alternatively the Police Commissioner or  the Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn could “please say if this is true.” Probably realising that he

issued the instruction in the wrong group, he quickly deleted it.

At 1:00 PM, the Police Commissioner, in a directive, presumably  to the Public Relations team, in the Joint Services WhatsApp Media Group, he stated that, “do not do any response.”

The police force on November2 , 2020 had offered a GYD$3 million reward for information  leading to the arrest of  the killers of Isaiah and Joel Henry, and Haresh Singh in early September, 2020.

Despite a more than one-hour long meeting with editors and other

senior media representatives with Public Relations Officers Stan Gouveia and Mark Ramotar last week Tuesday, July 6, 2021, the relations between the media and the Guyana Police Force continue to be at an all-time low.

The Guyana Press Association as well as a number of journalists have criticised the police force public relations posture especially since the functions have been handed over to a two-member civilian team.

The Police Commissioner is known to have literally scampered away from the media and exited through a back door on one occasion.

News releases, especially about major occurrences are provided very late or until well into the next day.

Until now, the Police Commissioner has not responded to questions about whether he would be issuing the Special Promotions Order in light of the issuance of a promotions list by the Police Service Commission (PSC). The Guyana government continues to maintain that that such a promotions list is illegal because President Irfaan Ali has suspended the PSC until a Tribunal is set up to investigate allegations.