Background checks to be conducted on new candidates for Police Commissioner- Harmon

Last Updated on Friday, 28 April 2017, 7:50 by Denis Chabrol

Background checks would be conducted on prospective appointees to the post of Police Commissioner, according to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon.

The question of whether background checks are made before the Police Commissioner is selected was posed to the Minister. However, Minister Harmon pointed out that since the government took office about two years ago, there has not been any such appointment.

“We have not had the opportunity of doing so as yet,” the Minister stated, adding that, “I am sure that at the appropriate time that those things will be done,” said Harmon.

Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud, who was appointed by the then People’s Progressive Party (PPP), is expected to retire in April, 2018.  The most senior Assistant Police Commissioner is David Ramnaraine who has acted as Police Commissioner several times in recent months.

Harmon was questioned by members of the media about the criteria for the appointment of a Police Commissioner. However, the Minister noted that the person must be nominated by the Police Service Commission, and must meet certain requirements set out by the Guyana Police Force.

Minister Harmon explained that before the Police Commissioner is selected the “president must be satisfied with the person nominated for that job, and then he makes a recommendation to the Leader of the Opposition who will then meet and then an appointment will be made.”