Guyana’s opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) says it will mount a legal challenge to the appointment of Assistant Police Commissioner, Clifton Hicken, as acting Police Commissioner.
In a statement, the PNCR said the appointment announced by President Dr. Irfaan Ali is illegal and amounts to the “wanton politicization” of the police force.
A brief government statement late Monday noted that President Ali, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, had appointed Hicken to act in the Office of the Commissioner of Police, adding that the appointment takes effect from Wednesday, March 30.
“The Party, therefore, would like to use this opportunity to remind the government of Article 211 (1) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana which states that ‘‘the Commissioner of Police and every Deputy Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and the Chairperson of the Police Service Commission after the Chairperson has consulted with the other member of the Commission’’, the PNC said.
The PNCR said in the temporary absence of a Leader of the Opposition and the Police Service Commission, any appointment of commissioner of police or deputy commissioners of police is unconstitutional.
“To promote Mr. Hicken to the rank of deputy commissioner of police or to have him act in the office is a blatant violation of the Constitution, and will be challenged in a court of law,” the PNCR said.
The PNCR, the major party in the opposition coalition, recently appointed Aubrey Norton its leader and to become a parliamentarian after March 31, this year.
A number of Service Commissions, Police Commissioner, Chancellor, and the Chief Justice can be appointed only after consultation between the President and the Opposition Leader.
The opposition party is also arguing that the Public Service rules clearly state that acting appointments must go to the most senior officer and based on the current structure and line of statutory succession, Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Williams is next in line.
According to the PNCR, to promote Hicken to the rank of deputy commissioner of police or to have him act in the office is “a blatant violation of the Constitution and will be challenged in a court of law.
“We hereby use this development to again call on the government to desist from the wanton politicization of the GPF. Further, we demand of the government to rescind this appointment and allow for a process of full transparency, legality, and meritocracy within the Guyana Police Force”, the PNCR said.
