| – Govt. proceeding with caution on termination of contractCabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon has declared that the government can terminate the agreement to extend the tenure of embattled Commissioner of Police Henry Greene. However, he explained that the administration is adopting a cautious approach on whether or not to allow Greene to continue in office.Luncheon, who is also Head of the Presidential Secretariat, told journalists yesterday that since there is a possibility that criminal proceedings against Greene are not yet put to rest entirely, there is no point in rushing to make a definitive decision on Greene’s fate as the Commissioner of Police.Commissioner of Police Henry GreeneLuncheon was referring to the possibility of the state appealing the decision of Chief Justice Ian Chang to quash the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to institute a rape charge against Greene.The decision to appeal the Chief Justice’s decision, he said, rests with the Attorney General.“In dispensing with the services of a Commissioner, it is not merely pulling the plug; you have to remove for cause, and the tendency is that you have to have substantial cause. The constitution prescribes a process for the removal of a Commissioner,” Luncheon explained.As far as Luncheon is concerned, Henry Greene is still the Commissioner of Police, although his continued tenure is being actively discussed by the administration.There were reports that Greene’s departure from the Force had been finalized, following a call by former Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand for him to demit office.Manickchand, who had piloted the Sexual Offences Bill 2010, is the first high-ranking government official to pronounce so definitively for Greene to be relieved of the Top Cop position.She had based her position on the fact that Greene had abused his position when he engaged in admitted sexual intercourse with a woman when she approached him for help in a police matter that she was engaged in.According to Luncheon, whenever the criminal matters have been discharged, Cabinet will then move to address the other aspect of the issue, the moral and professional conduct of the Commissioner.“We would like to be correct and on the safe side and indeed adopt a position that resonates; that addresses the concerns of all and sundry in this matter,” Luncheon told the media.He said that should an appeal be filed by the Attorney General, challenging Justice Chang’s decision to quash the DPP’s advice, it would allow the administration the time to conclude deliberations on the ethical issue surrounding Greene’s conduct.The state has six weeks from the date of Justice Chang’s decision to file an appeal, but Luncheon is of the view that a decision on whether Greene will return to office could be finalized before that period expires.Greene’s admission to having consensual sex with the woman has been a major bone of contention.There have been several calls for his removal as the Commissioner of Police.The first to call for his resignation was his predecessor Winston Felix, who had told the media that it would have been the most honourable thing to do.Felix’s call was followed by others from the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers and other women’s groups, and the main opposition political parties, the Alliance For Change and A Partnership for National Unity.Dr Luncheon said that the calls were obviously not being made to the government,Cheap Jerseys USA, but rather to Greene himself, for him to step down.“It (Greene’s removal) cannot be done on the basis of Stabroek News or Kaieteur News or the women lawyers or others, or the Opposition; it has to be done in accordance with the constitution.On Wednesday, the state-owned National Communications Network’s website posted that Greene was likely to tender his resignation.However, Luncheon yesterday dismissed the report, explaining that he is unaware that such an occurrence has taken place.“Definitely we are not in receipt of any resignation from Mr. Greene,” Luncheon declared.He once again defended government’s position to retain Greene even after he had reached the age of retirement.“What the Constitution provides for is an acceptance of an offer by the Commissioner to serve beyond his fifty-fifth year as the Commissioner, and for no longer than his sixtieth year. That offer and acceptance has been made. The evidence for that is, indeed…three years have passed with him past fifty-five, and being unquestionably the Commissioner of Police and discharging those functions,” Luncheon stated. |
