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Georgetown, Guyana — Former Assistant Commissioners of Police Paul Slowe and Clinton Conway have raised strong concerns about the recent detention of a Guyana Police Force (GPF) sergeant at Miami International Airport, pointing to what they describe as an unsettling pattern of corruption and mismanagement within the GPF. During their online show “Speaking Out: Exposing Corruption and Incompetence,” Slowe and Conway alleged that the arrest underscores a deep crisis within the police force, a force that government officials have previously praised as exemplary within the Caribbean.
U.S. authorities reportedly detained the sergeant, questioning him about his “direct involvement” in drug trafficking in Guyana, specifically concerning the high-profile September discovery of 4.4 tons of cocaine in a makeshift bunker near an illegal airstrip in Region 1. The sergeant’s U.S. visa was revoked, and his cell phone was seized; he was then returned to Guyana. Despite these developments, the sergeant has allegedly not disclosed the incident to his GPF superiors, adding further complications to the unfolding scandal.
Addressing the implications of the arrest, Slowe commented, “This is terrible… This is another damning report.” He pointed out that police were notably absent from the massive anti-drug operation conducted in September by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Guyana Defence Force Special Forces, and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU). He questioned why neither police officials nor the acting Commissioner, Clifton Hicken, were included in the operation. “Why?” he asked, pointing to a lack of transparency and trust in the GPF’s role in counter-narcotics efforts.
Conway also expressed frustration with the limited GPF involvement in recent U.S.-led training initiatives in Guyana, which have focused on counter-drug and firearms training. He noted that the Guyana Revenue Authority and CANU are being trained in these areas while the police are conspicuously left out. Conway remarked, “The confidence [is] not there in the police… Big cocaine bust, police not involved. Serious training in terms of drugs and firearms, and the police not involved.”
The two former senior officers also pointed to prior incidents involving other high-ranking GPF members, such as a senior superintendent previously implicated in drug operations who was quietly reassigned rather than being subject to more severe accountability measures. Conway noted, “You’re hearing a sergeant… I got some information… Things mightn’t be as what is being reported, but let the investigation go on.”
Slowe further emphasized the broader impact of these issues on the reputation of the entire police force, stating that the continued scandals “must be very demoralizing.” He extended his empathy to the “honest, hardworking members of the Guyana Police Force,” who, he noted, may feel tainted by association with corrupt colleagues. Slowe added, “Every day you pick up [the news], it’s something adverse… They’re not there to try [to boost morale].”
The commentary by Slowe and Conway has added to the scrutiny surrounding the GPF’s capacity to effectively address narcotics trafficking and corruption within its ranks. As questions linger, public attention is fixed on how the government and police leadership will respond to address both internal misconduct and systemic issues.
