EDITORIAL
The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) should be commended for the quick manner in which it apprehended three suspects in the botched armed robbery of a supermarket in Black Bay, St. John's that led to another senseless death.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) moved in on the suspects within a matter of 24-hours to reassure the nation that the police are still on the job despite the internal problems in the force.
The police were directed to the suspects based on information supplied by the public who saw something and reported it to the right people within RGPF.
This is very important in light of the apprehension that some folks in the society have about giving information to the police for fear of it getting back to the perpetrators of crime in this country.
The police have an intrinsic duty to do everything that is humanly possible to continue gaining the confidence of the people in the discharge of their duties.
And this is why this newspaper is particularly concerned about the current state of affairs within the force.
There is deep division within the ranks so much so that some officers have taken C.O.P Winston James to court in order to challenge his decision to bypass them in the most recent promotion exercise.
A number of officers believe rightly or wrongly that political interference from certain quarters within the ruling New National Party (NNP) administration played a hand in them being overlooked for upward mobility.
Some officers like Inspector Earl Dunbar and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Godfrey Fleming could consider themselves a bit unlucky not to move up in ranks because of their known hard work and dedicated service over the years.
GRENADA TODAY is convinced that the medicine that is so badly needed to bring back the peace and love that once existed in the force will never take place under the current drivers of the nation State of Grenada.
A new government is needed to bring about the shake-up within the hierarchy and to send positive signals to the rank and file about a turn around in direction for the force.
Any regime change in Grenada should see the new government giving serious thought to asking the British government for help in sending in a three member team of experienced senior police officers to take charge of RGPF.
This unit should be given a three-year mandate to help rebuild the force and to bring back pride in each and very police officer.
Our hope is that at the end of their contract, the non-nationals would have been able to spot from within the ranks of the force someone within RGPF who has what it takes to run a united force under his command.
This is not about bring back "colonial masters" to "run things" in Grenada but to implement another "rescue mission" for our law enforcement officers.
Our police force must be able to operate as a free and independent unit and not one used at times by politicians to engage in witch-hunting of their known and perceived opponents.
Take for instance the case involving the son of Minister of Social Services, Yolande Bain-Horsford and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lawrence Joseph who was charged in connection with a motor vehicle accident involving a poor and humble man in rural Grenada.
The information is our possession is that the case was recently thrown out in the Grenville Magistrate's Court because the complainant did not attended hearings.
And it is known by the police that the complainant is often in and out of hospital because of the injuries suffered after he was knocked down by the vehicle which was bring driven by a person who allegedly did not have a driver's license to be on our nation's road.
This case was thrown out only after a few months of hearings. Please contrast that with the "special" treatment being given by the police to former Opposition Leader, Michael Baptiste on what appears to be politically motivated charges.
Mr. Baptiste is often in and out of the Magistrate's court in Grenville without the chief witness, a Japanese living in the United States showing up for the case to give evidence for the State.
Our suspicion is that the hands of the police and others are tied to the point that for political reasons they cannot move to have the matter thrown out for want of prosecution.
GRENADA TODAY is advocating that the case against the Minister's son should be brought back on the court's rooster and put on hold until the complainant is medically fit to attend court hearings.
The law must apply equally - not solely to the advantage of the rich and against the poor and dispossessed in our society.
And the free and independent press has a role to play in ensuring that justice is not only done but manifestly seen to be done regardless to one's status in society.
