More than 2,000 police ranks get automatic promotion

President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced automatic promotions for police officers at various levels of service in the Guyana Police Force (GPF), effective from the beginning of August.

More than 2,000 ranks are set to benefit from the good gesture.

Speaking at the police headquarters, Eve Leary on Wednesday, the President, in addressing corporals who have attained between eight to ten years of service, brought smiles to their faces.

“We’re going to put all of them to the highest level of the scale as corporal. So their salary would be adjusted to the higher level of the scale.”

Additionally, he noted that constables who have between five and seven years of service will be promoted to lance corporal, as long as they have no disciplinary issues.

For officers with eight to ten years in the system as constables, he noted that they will also be promoted to corporal.

“You ain’t going straight to corporal alone, you going straight to corporal at the highest end of the scale. Those who are between 10 to 13 years of service, we are going to put you as sergeant. Those between 13 to 15 [years] you will go to sergeant at the highest end of the list,” he noted.

President Ali added that those with between 20 years and above of service, with no disciplinary issues and who are not at the level of inspector, will be adjusted to that rank.

“Historically, we got thousands of persons serving more than 20 years that retired as constables. Today, everybody with 20 years will be moved to an inspector once you have no bad record,” he emphasised.

The President noted, however, that any officer who is promoted and then caught in any illegality will be removed from their post.

President Ali encouraged ranks to upgrade their educational status, noting that there is now a clear path in the GPF where officers can do so and advance their lives.

He noted, however, that this does not come without responsibility, since there will be a higher system of evaluation.

“I want accountability in the system, at every level. But with accountability come predictability–you know that if you stay, you serve honestly, with dignity and honour, then you will get the reward… there’s incentive for serving. You stay beyond 20 years with a clean record the minimum you’ll retire at is an inspector,” he said.

The President further encouraged the spirit of teamwork and collective responsibility to achieve success.

President Dr Irfaan Ali