“What’s the big deal?” Ramjattan on Blanhum’s removal

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan is not too perturbed with the removal of Wendell Blanhum as the country’s Crime Chief even though he noted that the senior cop was doing a “fantastic job” at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

In his contributions to the 2018 budget debates in the National Assembly, the Security Minister referenced the removal of Assistant Commissioner of Police Leslie James as Crime Chief in 2016, a decision which was taken by Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud.

As such, Ramjattan asked Opposition Parliamentarians today: “If Mr [David] Ramnarine now would like to move Blanhum from there, what’s the big deal?”

Following his return from three weeks vacation leave last week, Blanhum was moved to the Police ‘A’ Division where he serves as the Deputy Commander.

Ramjattan made it clear that he had no part to play in the decision to remove Blanhum.

“I want to make it quite clear, he is a Senior Superintendent, he was doing a fantastic job there,” Ramjattan said.

He noted that the government will not interfere with the work of the Police Force.

“We are not going to interfere with the leadership of that police force, we are not going to interfere like how interference used to be in previous times. We are doing to do it very professionally.”

Ramjattan on several occasions had said that he wanted Blanhum back as the Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in time for the Christmas season.

A Commission of Inquiry (COI) which investigated an alleged plot to assassinate the president found among other things that Blanhum lacks command experience and he should be removed from the helm of the CID and sent to a department in the force where he can get command experience.