WPA Calls for Immediate Implementation of Guyana Police Service, Anti-Corruption Unit
By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News
Georgetown, Guyana – The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) is calling for the immediate implementation of the long-proposed name change of the Guyana Police Force to the Guyana Police Service, a move the party says is essential to restoring public trust and realigning the focus of the institution.
The call follows a statement made in April 2024 by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn at the Regional Security System Council of Ministers, where he confirmed the government’s intention to rebrand the Force as part of wider security sector modernization efforts.
“Today we say, change the name of that institution without delay,” declared WPA executive Dr. David Hinds at a press conference on Monday.
The name change, first proposed during the tenure of former Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, aims to shift public perception from a force of coercion to one focused on community service and protection.
However, the WPA insists that renaming alone is not enough. The party is advocating for a community-based consultative process, recommending the establishment of a committee to gather public input on police reform before the rebranding is finalized.
“It is the people in their communities who have been the major victims of the misuse of power by the police, and their views must be at the top of the heap,” Hinds emphasized.
Citing concerns over political interference and corruption, the WPA also proposed the creation of an independent anti-corruption unit. This body, the party says, should include reputable retired officers, legal professionals, and human rights experts.
To further bolster reform, the WPA is calling for enhanced wages and salaries for police officers to regional standards—an incentive the party says will reduce corruption and increase professionalism.
The WPA maintains that the future Guyana Police Service must be rooted in transparency, public accountability, and community trust.
