National Assembly approves nominees for Police Service Commission

Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 April 2022, 23:45 by Denis Chabrol

The National Assembly on Wednesday night approved the nominees for the Police Service Commission (PSC), the constitutional body that is responsible for the appointment and disciplinary action against police officers above the rank of Inspector.

Those nominees would now be sent to President Irfaan Ali.

After several previously approved bodies had been consulted, those unanimously approved by the bipartisan parliamentary appointment committee are businessman Ernesto Choo-a-Fat, Attorney-at-Law Charles Conway, businessman Akeem Mohammed and Pastor Patrick Findlay.

The Appointments Committee had consulted with the Guyana Police Association, Association of Former Members of the Guyana Police Force, and the National Community Policing Executive.

The PSC expired in August 2021 after having been embroiled in a controversy and court action over whether President Irfaan Ali had rightfully suspended that body and government had disregarded the announced promotion of more than 100 police officers. “This has been a very important constitutional body that has been waiting,” said the Chairman of the Appointment Committee.

Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan had sought the removal of Mr. Findlay on the grounds that he was a public officer who was working at the Ministry of Human Services for remuneration. However, he relented after Minister of Human Services Dr Vindhya Persaud clarified that Mr. Findlay was providing voluntary service as part of a support network.