Police probing learner driver exam for ‘massive irregularities’
London meeting: President David Granger (right) greeting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday at a meeting of Heads of Small Islands Developing States in London, England where the President is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit.
The Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched an investigation into a report of “seemingly massive irregularities” in the Guyana Police Force’s learner driver’s theoretical examination last Thursday at the Felix Austin Police College, Georgetown.
This was confirmed by Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Police Force (ag) Shivpersaud Bacchus, in a press statement yesterday afternoon.
The investigation was launched after a report was made to Commissioner of Police (ag) David Ramnarine by a senior pastor, who received complaints from his colleague pastors who invigilated the examination.
The statement said based on reports a total of 174 persons registered to write the examination but only 106 presented themselves on the day in question.
It added that 207 scripts were received at the conclusion of the examination, 155 of which were completed.
“Initial enquiries revealed that a Senior Subordinate Officer who was mandated to oversee this theoretical examination in collaboration with two pastors from the Cops and Faith Community Network partnership with the Guyana Police Force, along with three junior ranks, left the examination venue shortly after the examination commenced and did not return”, the statement explained.
It added that a junior officer who ought not to have been at the examination venue, presented himself, spent some time and left. “The three Constables left the examination venue prior to the counting of the examination scripts by members of the Cops and Faith Community Network after the conclusion of the examination”, the statement said.
“Only the members of the Cops and Faith Community Network, that is the two pastors, were left in possession of the completed examination papers”, it added.
Additional information reaching Stabroek News revealed that the officer in charge who is said to be a sergeant and is among those fingered in the allegation was previously charged departmentally for similar offences.
According to the press statement, these preliminary enquiries indicate a complete breach of the Standard Operating Procedures governing the Administration and Conduct of the Learner Driver’s Theoretical Examination.
As a result, the statement further noted that persons who sat the examination last Thursday will have to re-sit same at a date and time which will be announced.
“In the circumstances while the full and comprehensive investigation is awaited, the members of the public who sat the examination at the venue on the Thursday April 12, 2018, regrettably, but deemed absolutely necessary, will be informed of the date and time when they will have to re-sit that particular examination”, the statement further said.
Since the involvement of the members of the Cops and Faith Community Network in the invigilation of the examination, the police in the statement said “there has been a significant reduction in the opportunities for corruption, complaint and allegations and this voluntary involvement will continue as we seek to ensure the integrity of the processes.”
Following the completion of the investigation, the file will be sent for legal advice, the statement added.