Jagdeo denies directing Asst Police Commissioner Brutus’ transfer

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 January 2025, 21:46 by Writer

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday denied instructing Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken to transfer Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus from Administration to Special Branch because of a racially-motivated Government Diversity Policy.

“There has been no such directives; never met with the Commissioner of Police. I never asked him to replace Brutus as Head of Admin,” he told a news conference.

Mr Brutus, in his GY$1.6 billion lawsuit on alleged discrimination said he, a mixed Afro-Amerindian person, was replaced by then Assistant Police Commissioner, Ravindradat Budhram, an Indo-Guyanese, on the grounds that he needed administrative experience.

Mr Jagdeo said up to midday Thursday, Attorney General Anil Nandlall informed him that none of the Brutus court documents was served on him “so it is for PR (public relations), I think.”

Also the General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Mr Jagdeo said seeking ethnic diversity “is a laudable motive” at the party and government levels.

In his view, Mr Jagdeo believed that Mr Brutus’ lawsuit was a smokescreen for his multi-million dollar fraud charges for which he is on court bail. He provided the particulars for several charges showing that millions of dollars worth of various uniform-related items were paid for but never received by the police force. “I have no apology and we have no apology for his removal from the Admin. This was not discrimination,” he said.