April 23, 2025
Georgetown, Guyana
For immediate release to all media houses
PRESS RELEASE
AFC Demands Justice and Accountability: Independent Police Oversight Authority Must Be Established Now
In the wake of the recent police killings of Ronaldo Peters and Keon Fogenay in Linden, the Alliance For Change (AFC) is calling on all parties in the National Assembly to rise above politics and act urgently to establish an Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA). This is not merely a matter of policy—it is a matter of human life, justice, and trust in our democracy.
These young men—sons of Linden—are the latest in a painful history of Guyanese lives lost at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve. Their deaths echo the tragedy of 2012, when three Lindeners were shot dead by police during protests.
A Commission of Inquiry into those killings made a clear recommendation:
“The police must be held accountable… abuses should be independently investigated in a professional way… such an authority must have the necessary powers and resources to be effective lest citizens demonstrate no confidence in it.”
(COI Report, 2012 – Paragraph 185)
More than a decade later, that recommendation remains unimplemented. The cost of inaction is measured in lives lost and trust shattered.
The AFC today proposes a resolution to be laid in the National Assembly on April 25, 2025, calling for the immediate establishment of the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA)—a civilian-led body with full powers to investigate police misconduct and recommend criminal or disciplinary action.
This is not an attack on the police. It is a commitment to justice and accountability—for victims, for families, and for the many honourable officers who serve with integrity and deserve public trust.
Nigel Hughes, Leader of the AFC and candidate for President, has long championed institutional reform and the protection of constitutional rights. The IPOA proposal builds on his decades of work in the legal and justice sectors. As Hughes has stated:
“If there is no trust in justice, there is no justice at all. And if there is no accountability in power, power becomes abuse.”
The AFC’s resolution outlines a clear framework:
• A 12-member independent authority, appointed by Parliament, with no current or former law enforcement officers.
• Full investigative powers, including subpoena authority and access to all relevant police evidence and body-camera footage.
• Mandated transparency, with regular public reporting and community engagement.
• Direct funding via the National Assembly to ensure independence from political or police control.
This resolution is a test of our nation’s conscience. Guyanese citizens—urban and rural, young and old, across all communities—are asking a simple question: Who will stand for justice?
The AFC calls on every Member of Parliament, regardless of affiliation, to stand with the people and vote to establish the IPOA. Let us show that Guyana can be fair, free, and united in our pursuit of justice.
Better Must Come – United Guyana, Fair and Free.
Issued by: End.
Alliance For Change
Georgetown, Guyana
April 23, 2025
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