14 NEWS
THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Despite pre-retirement leave,
Top Cop, Deputy Commissioner remaining on job was “administrative” decision – Granger
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aretaker President David Granger has defended a decision to have several members in the hierarchy of the Guyana Police Force remain on the job, despite their having significant amounts of accumulative leave which would lead them into retirement. This comes on the heels of outgoing GDF Chief of Staff Brigadier Patrick West being sent on pre-retirement leave effective Wednesday, July 1, 2020 until his March 2021 retirement. However, this has sparked controversy, since Police Commissioner Leslie James and Deputy Commissioner Maxine Graham are still on the job even though they are approaching the age to proceed on pre-retirement leave. Police Commissioner James is said to have some 307 days accumulative leave. He will reach 55, the retirement age for Public Servants, in April 2021, which means he should have gone off on pre-retirement leave on June 28, and this would have taken him straight into retirement. Meanwhile, Deputy Police Commissioner (Operations) Maxine Graham will turn 55 in November. She also has accumulated approximately 172 days’ leave and should
Police Commissioner Leslie James
have been sent on pre-retirement leave since June 11. Questioned about the reason behind having the top-ranking Police officials still on the job, President Granger explained that it was an administrative decision. While acknowledging that an instrument was passed stipulating that leave should not be accumulated and that officers within the Disciplined Services should enjoy their leave in the calendar year when it is due, the Head of State defended the move to keep on the Top Cop, saying it was because of the “special operation” that was launched for the March 2 elections, and it had to be extended because of the prolonged post-elec-
tion period. “We are in very abnormal period in Guyanese history, and the Commission of Police was required to supervise a special operation to ensure there was no disturbance of the peace, no disorder during the elections period, and that is the reason why he is still at his post… It is an administrative decision, not a decision about any other legal or operational [basis], to allow him to supervise the conduct of that operation,” he noted. Nevertheless, the Caretaker President as-
sured that these officials would enjoy their “entitlements” after this period is over. On the other hand, the Commander in Chief pointed out that the processes to appoint a Chief of Staff of the GDF and a Commissioner of Police are completely different. Whereas the appointment of the Chief of Staff is decided at the level of the Defence Board, the selection of a substantive Top Cop requires consultation with the Opposition Leader. Likewise, with the ap-
Deputy Police Commissioner Maxine Graham
pointments of Deputy Commissioners, the President would require the advice of the Police Service Commission, which he noted he has not gotten as yet. James joined the Police Force in 1987, and was appointed Top Cop in May 2018 following the retirement of former Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud. Also with 33 years of Service under her belt now, Graham was the lone female among four new Deputy Commissioners appointed by President Granger back in August 2018.
Guyana records 13th COVID-19 death …cases climb to 248
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42-year-old man has succumbed to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bringing the country’s death toll up to 13. This latest fatality was announced on Wednesday, but the man died on Monday. While no other details of the now-deceased man were given, the media was told that he died on Monday at the Georgetown Public Hospital. It has been reported that the 42-yearold man was admitted to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit af-
ter complaining of shortness of breath. Guyana’s last COVID-19 death was recorded over a month ago on May 30 when 78-year-old John Damon, a former resident of the Palms Geriatric Home, died at the dedicated COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) located at the Georgetown Public Hospital. He was the second resident of The Palms to die from COVID-19. It has been almost four months since Guyana recorded its first coronavirus case following the death of 52-year-old Ratna Baboolall, who is referred to as ‘patient zero’. While the country has maintained a low death rate, over the past week, there has been a significant raise in the number of cases. In fact, there were 46 new cases recorded last week alone. On Wednesday, the Public Health Ministry reported another three new cases from 56 tests conducted within the previous 24 hours. This now brings the total of COVID-19 cases in Guyana to 248. According to Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr Karen GordonBoyle, who delivered Wednesday’s update, a total of 2634 persons have been tested to date for the novel coronavirus of which 2386 were negative. Guyana currently has 122 active cases – two in the COVID-19 ICU and the remaining 120 in institutional isolation. There are also 16 persons in institutional quarantine. Meanwhile, the number
of persons to date to recover from the deadly virus is 116. As local authorities continue to grapple with flattening the curve of the local coronavirus outbreak, Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) remains the epicentre of the outbreak in Guyana. However, there have been a significant increase in
as we work to contain the spread of the disease in your communities,” she stated. Moreover, Dr GordonBoyle further pleaded with Guyanese to do their part and respect the curfew and other measures in place to prevent the spread of the deadly virus especially since health workers are risking their lives on the front-
COVID-19 cases in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) – a situation which the DCMO says is being tackled in a collaborative manner. “I wish to inform the residents, particularly in Regions One and Seven that the Ministry is working collaboratively with the various agencies within the region[s] to address and help arrest the situation that is threatening to spiral out of control. We are calling on all the residents to cooperate with the health officials
lines to continue to screen the population, provide testing for suspected cases, and treat the positive cases. “Guyanese, I want you to know that COVID-19 is real, stop mamaguying. Please note also that the full effect of COVID-19 on the human body is not fully known; you can recover from the coronavirus disease, but may develop other conditions that you previously did not have, which can result in possible death. So, my fellow Guyanese, let’s follow the guidelines,” she implored.
