New police PR officers hired without advertisement of posts - Benn
Admitting that the positions to head the recently launched Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were not advertised before they were filled, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn said that the unit was established as part of the force’s strategic plans.
Benn made this disclosure during his written responses to questions asked by APNU+AFC Member of Parliament Geeta Chandan-Edmond.
The opposition member had tabled a series of questions on the unit and the appointment of civilians Mark Ramotar and Stan Gouveia as its Director and Deputy Director, respectively.
Chandan-Edmond also asked whether the force’s CCU was created in accordance with the Standing Orders of the force.
In his response circulated at Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly, Benn stated that the unit was established as part of the strategic plan of the GPF. Benn clarified that the designations of the persons employed with the CCC of the GPF are Communications Coordinator and Public
Relations Officer and not the positions stated in the question, Director and Deputy Director. “These positions were not advertised,” he said.
The opposition member further requested copies of the terms of the contracts for the respective appointments and asked for their duties and responsibilities as well as their allowances and benefits, which are not included in their contracts to be provided.
While the contracts were not provided, Benn explained that the Communications Coordinator (Ramotar) is paid within the range of $294,585 to $501,861 per month, while the Public Relations Officer (Gouveia) on the other hand, he said is paid within the $239,301 to $384,966 range.
The additional allowances, Benn said, are “standard” for the positions.
Additionally, ChandanEdmond asked to be provided with the additional costs, if any, that are attached to the services rendered by the Deputy Director for which the Government and by extension the taxpayers are responsible.
However, Benn said that the positions are not included on the force’s authorized establishment and as such the expenses are deemed ‘additional cost”.
Chandan-Edmond also enquired whether the roles of Ramotar and Gouveia overlap with those of the police officers, who have been trained and assigned to perform these tasks.
Benn responded in the negative and said that it enhances the work of the unit.
Benn said that both Ramotar and Gouveia are qualified for the positions.
“Important to note [is] that the personnel in question are qualified in their respective fields with relevant years of experience,” he said.
Chandan-Edmond went on to ask about the number of employees in the unit and whether any other civilians employed within the CCU.
In his written response, Benn said Gouveia and Ramotar are the only two civilians currently working in the unit.
The CCU consists of eleven staff members, nine of whom are police officers, Benn noted.
In January this year, the GPF announced the appointments of Ramotar and Gouveia as the Director and Deputy Director of its CCU.
Concerns were raised in the public since in the past, members of the force headed what was previously known as the Police Public Relations Office.
Commissioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie had previously disclosed that the appointment of Ramotar and Gouveia to head the GPF’s new CCU was in keeping with recommendations made by United Kingdom consultants following
a visit here in 2019.
“…The appointment is in keeping with the recommendations from a PR [Public Relations] consultancy report that was done by some consultants… ..There were several recommendations made but I am certain that one of the recommendations would have been that civilians occupy the upper echelon of the public relations department,” Hoppie said while addressing questions during a broadcast of the “Police and You” radio programme last month.