The fact that Assistant Commissioner of Police (ASP) Calvin Brutus has been charged with alleged financial crimes totaling approximately US$800 million proves that “the system is working.” This perspective was offered moments ago by Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, during his weekly press conference at Freedom House.
Jagdeo’s comment, among others, was made in response to a Stabroek News editorial published on October 28, 2024, titled “The GPF and the charges against Mr. Brutus.”
One of the sections he cited states, “With the vast expansion of the economy, billions of U.S. dollars in oil revenues pouring into the country, increasing external and inward investment, and the growing vigilance around the AML/CFT framework, to have an Assistant Commissioner of Police facing serious money-laundering charges is to make a mockery of the functioning and authority of the force. How does it begin to recover from this without radical changes?”
Jagdeo said such a position is utterly baseless, noting that there are many other cases worldwide where individuals within the police force are implicated in alleged financial crimes; however, this does not mean that the entire institution is toxic. In this regard, he referenced a recent report which states, “New York’s police commissioner resigns amid corruption probe.” The Vice President then questioned rhetorically, “Does this make the NYPD defunct?”
The official said that the mere fact the investigation into Brutus was completed without interference and charges were laid proves that the system is working.
“This was the same opposition that was saying that the system will never work. They expressed skepticism that the PPP wouldn’t allow an independent investigation to go through, and it shocked everyone that not only was an investigation done… but the file was sent to the DPP with a number of recommended charges, and those charges have been laid…So the system is working, and that is important to us,” said the official.
