Tattoos in the workplace
what the people from the GDF or police force are doing because anybody can have a tattoo, it doesn’t mean that they’re this kind of person or that kind of person. Just like how regular people who work at banks have tattoos and nobody says anything, nothing is wrong if police or a soldier or anybody from that sort of profession have tattoos. That’s not affecting their job, I don’t think it should be a problem at all.’
`I think they should consider keeping the policy in terms of entering the Guyana Police Force or the army, because of the image it creates. It’s not professional. It’s not only my personal perception. I understand that the GPF won’t employ those with visible tattoos, I don’t know about the ones that are hidden. I don’t think they would disqualify a person because it is on their back or on a place that a shirt could hide, but when it’s visible on the forearm or on the wrist, or on the face makes it even worse. I removed mine before I joined the force because I became a Christian. But remember you’re dealing with the public and tattoos paint an image of the individual. When an individual sees a person with a lot of tattoos on their skin, they would tend to stigmatize the individual in terms of, let’s say, a person has a tattoo so that’s a bad individual. A person without a tattoo, however, the person could relate to.’
`Generally speaking, everybody has their own choice and decision to make, nobody can make it for them, but I don’t like it. It all depends. If they have one it’s not a problem, but if they have a lot...but really it’s up to the management of the business to decide whether to hire or not. I think the policy is the right thing. Before, they never used to accept you with those things. Most persons you find when they get involved in situations involving crime, they’re quick to be identified.’