Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton has promised to appoint a new Commission of Police and implement an overhaul of the police force if the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) gains the favour of the electorate at the polls this year.
The promise comes amid calls for Hicken’s removal following the police-related shooting deaths of Ronaldo Peters and Keon Forgenay in Linden earlier this month and the force’s handling of the Adriana Younge case.
During a Labour Day message, Norton said that all is not well in the country and Guyanese need assurances that they will be priority for their leaders.
“Will ensure that we put the people first…The government is operating as if all is well, but all Guyanese know all isn’t well,” he said, noting that the probe into the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge still lingers on the minds of Guyanese.
“We demand a proper investigation into the death of Adriana Younge,” he added, reiterating his party’s call for an international probe into her death and the actions of the Guyana Police Force.
“We cannot allow the Guyana Police Force to investigate it itself—it’s like charging Caesar to a trial by Caesar. We also demand an international inquiry into the Guyana Police Force. We believe the Guyana Police Force has shown its incompetence.”
Norton went on to say that if his party is elected, it will institute changes to the police force.
“We want to say to the Guyanese people that we will appoint a new Commissioner of Police. We have long said he is neither certified nor qualified to be the Commissioner of Police. We want to see a professional police force, and we will reform the Guyana Police Force to achieve that objective.
We will depoliticise the Guyana Police Force, because we are well aware it has been politicised and is being used against the people of Guyana. It is our intention to improve the training of the Guyana Police Force, both at home and abroad, with special emphasis on improving its investigative capacity,” the leader said.
Norton was keen to add that when a country does not have a police force in which the people can trust, the nation is cast into trouble.
“Special attention will be paid to improving the investigative capacity of the Guyana Police Force. That is our promise to you. We will provide the Guyana Police Force with the necessary resources to do its work. We will allow the Guyana Police Force to operate in a professional way and be able to enforce law and order,” he promised.
