Ethnic imbalance and police reform

In 2000, after PNC inspired street protests and riots precipitated wide-scale changes in the Guyana Constitution, the following was inserted as Art 197A (5): Disciplined forces commissions may be constituted by the National Assembly from time to time, as may be necessary, with power to examine the structure and composition of the disciplined forces and make recommendations generally with a view to promoting their greater efficiency, and giving effect to the need in the public interest that the composition of the disciplined forces take account of the ethnic constituents of the population.

The Disciplined Forces Commission (DFC), which was sworn in on June 30th, 2003, comprised Justice Ian Chang, attorney Anil Nandlall, former GDF Brigadier David Granger, current Attorney General Charles Ramson and Irish human rights activist Maggie Bierne. Bierne resigned subsequently and was replaced by Dr Harold Lutchman. After holding hearings in various parts of the country and taking hundreds of submissions, the commission’s final report was presented to the Speaker of the National Assembly on May 6, 2004.

The report, comprising of some 164 recommendations, 71 of which were directed at the Guyana Police Force, was then laid before the National Assembly on May 17 and was accepted unanimously. A select committee was then established on November 4, 2004, with a mandate to report to the National Assembly in four months. But it was not until almost six years later that the report was finally unanimously passed by the National Assembly on June 10th 2010.

On the matter of ethnic representativeness, the DFC declared: “The Commission…is of the view that the allaying of ethnic security fears which stem from the predominance of Afro-Guyanese presence in the GPF must be addressed…but to ensure, in so doing, that no similar insecurity fears are caused in the Afro-Guyanese community.”

More specifically, it recommended: “It should be an aim (of the GPF) to achieve a Force representative of the ethnic diversity of the nation without employing a quota system.”  The report also suggested that a study be conducted on how to address the ethnic make-up imperative.

On December 31, 2012 the Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee announced a Gy$35 million dollar strategic plan for the Police for the period 2013 to 2017. It was revealed that the strategic plan was prepared by the UK-based Capita Symonds Consultancy in 2010, the same year the DFC Report was approved. But while the plan commendably tackles issues related to the force’s administration, succession planning, integrity and professionalisation of the force, and public relations enhancement, it completely sidestepped the need to address the ethnic make-up of the force, even though this was the major imperative identified in the constitutional mandate to reform the GPF.
At the time of the adoption of the DFC Report, PNC member of the Select Committee Deborah Backer had specifically identified the recommendations to address the issue of ethnic imbalance in the joint services.  Fellow committee member, PPP Minister of Transport Robeson Benn, also pointed out that the issue of ethnic imbalance in the disciplined forces was a matter of concern, which needed to be looked at.  According to him, it was injurious to both the group that is dominant and to those who are excluded as well.
What has happened since?