Home Affairs minister blocks police commissioner from answering appointment questions

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 January 2025, 22:07 by Writer

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn blocked Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken from saying why he opted to be substantively appointed, despite the alleged multi-million dollar fraud in the law enforcement agency and the seizure of 4.4 tonnes of cocaine near an illegal airstrip in northwestern Guyana.

Actually none of the heads of agencies under the Home Affairs Ministry made presentations at the year-end press conference held earlier  this week and Mr Benn made an almost one-hour-long opening statement and responded to all questions.

Though the question to Mr Hicken, about why he opted to be retained as Police Commissioner despite the alleged multi-million dollar fraud by Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus happened under his watch, was asked through the Home Affairs Minister, he refused a request for Mr Hicken to respond.

“No, no, no Sir,” Mr Benn said.

Asked if he was not going to allow the Police Commissioner to respond to the direct question, Mr Benn opted to proffer a response about himself and later proceeded to suggest that despite challenges that law enforcement agency has made strides in making Guyana safer. He said unless he was told that he was “no longer wanted”, he thought he could still contribute to peace in Guyana. He relied on crime and other departmental statistics as proof of success despite a few “hurdles and bumps along the way”. “We are improving. Our data, our statistics show that we are having significant improvement. These improvements are unheralded in the experience of the lives of our services, our agencies,” he said.

After the press conference ended, Demerara Waves Online News again sought a response from the Police Commissioner who remarked that “you know I can’t answer that” and told the journalist to “be careful”.

During his opening remarks at the news conference, the Home Affairs Minister made veiled reference to the fraud case and urged the Police Force to ensure that all procedures are followed.

Mr Benn said he did not object to the appointment of any of the deputy police commissioners, but persons under review are subjected to review and critiques. “I’m saying ‘no’,” he said.

In The Bahamas, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander resigned in early December 2024 after the United States indicted a sergeant and two officers for drug trafficking. In November 2024, the Turks and Caicos Police Commissioner, Edvin Martin resigned amid a wave of violent crime including 43 murders.