Police Service Commission working on case to be filed against Top Cop

The Police Service Commission (PSC) is determined to file a case against Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie for his continued refusal to effect the promotions announced last month.

“We are working out the fine details but jump high or jump low there will be a case filed,” Assistant Commissioner (ret’d) Clinton Conway told Stabroek News last evening.

One week ago the Commission Chair, assistant commissioner (ret’d) Paul Slowe wrote to Hoppie directing that he honour the promotions list published by the constitutional body on June 28 or risk legal action. Hoppie has acknowledged receipt of Slowe’s ultimatum but is still to comply.

In the letter, Slowe upbraided Hoppie for failing to prepare the promotion order so that the promoted ranks and other members of the Force can be informed of the promotions.

“The Quartermaster also uses the Special Promotion Order to issue badges of rank to the newly promoted ranks,” Slowe said.

The promotion list was made public just one hour after Chief Justice (ag) Roxane GeorgeWiltshire dismissed a challenge which had delayed the promotions for more than six months.

“Your action in not ensuring that the Special Promotion Order is prepared and published one week after receiving the promotion list from the Police Service Commission is interpreted by the Police (Service) Commission as you defying the legitimate action of the Police Service Commission in promoting ranks of the Guyana Police Force,” Slowe wrote in the letter.

Hoppie’s delay in complying with the directives of the PSC is likely due to a declaration from Attorney General Anil Nandlall that the promotions were “unlawful and illegal” and therefore would not be acknowledged by the government. It has however been pointed out that Hoppie is answerable to the PSC on police promotions and not the Attorney General.