BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER some 22 months into his three-year contract as Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF), Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn is allegedly again at loggerheads with some senior members of the law enforcement institution.
In another leaked email, purportedly sent by the Commissioner of Police to a number of Senior Officers, he claimed that backstabbing exists in the Force and despite experiencing positive changes some members have reverted to past negatives, which reminds him of the “hog story”.
“All of you in management were here before me and your ineffective management styles ran this police force into the ground. The citizens had no confidence in your leadership! The business community wanted to embrace you but we’re reluctant. I came here and made a difference by showing respect for and to the men and women on the street and to the citizens and businesses in the Federation. Yet even with the positive changes we are experiencing, some of you are still determined to revert to the way things were. Reminds me of the hog story,” the email reads.
Commissioner Walwyn, on appointed head of the RSCNPF, declared at a press conference that he is a professional and would not be influenced by politicians, groups or any individual in the execution of his duty.
Last week however, a leaked email containing alleged conversations among the Commissioner and his most senior ranks indicated that he had conspired with politicians to deny the People’s Action Movement permission to hold its Protest March and Rally on Wednesday (Jun. 26). However, at the 11th hour, he granted permission to the political party.
The email had insinuated that there is dissension and in-house fighting within the hierarchical structure of the Police Force.
Following the revelation of the contents of that email which surfaced in the social media, the other one, of a lengthy nature, also made its way to the social media.
It alleged that in castigating the targeted officers, Commissioner Walwyn said, “I saw the potential within some of those individuals and fought long and hard to get them confirmed or promoted. Yet, before even 45 days was passed, some of the same individuals I chose to promote or confirm because I could see the potential for leadership within them, (but they could not see leadership within themselves) reverted to their old backstabbing ways.”
Addressing the situation of his successor after his contract would have expired, the Commissioner allegedly said in the email that the backstabbing individuals are forgetting that he would have to recommend “a search for a new Commissioner”.
“Now, I have not called any names, but those of you doing it, knows specifically, who you are. I have said time and time again that I have nothing to gain by preventing any of you from attaining leadership of your police Force.”
It further alleged the Commissioner stated that the targeted individuals were not hurting him by their actions, but “you are hurting your chances of me giving any of the four persons in mind, serious consideration to replace me”.
The Commissioner also allegedly said in the email that in promoting the upward mobility of the Force, since his arrival there has been a significant increase in personnel training, both overseas and locally; and that in addition to numerous donations, the Training Budget has since increased from $50 000 to over $1M.
“Our government has spent over a half million dollars in firearms and safety equipment to protect you and the men and women you command. Yet, some of you place politics above security and denigrate the same government that you are sworn to protect against all enemies foreign and domestic,” it added.
According to the email, Walwyn asked the targeted officers when would they stop their backstabbing attitude and move the Police Force forward, while at the same time advising them to stop the power play because it is going to stagnate them whether he remains as the Commissioner or return to the US.
Additionally, the email alleged that he also labelled the officers as being ungrateful.
“Some of you are the most ungrateful people I have ever met. When I came here some of you were griping about getting confirmed or promoted. You have what you cried for and are still griping and whining. I did not owe you anything, but saw potential in you and did what I thought was right in getting the confirmations and promotions. Now that others are scheduled to be promoted, some of you are trying to go around me to stop those promotions…”
The email portrayed a Commissioner, who is surrounded by a group of Senior Officers within which a dissident faction would like to see him fail as Head of the RSCNPF.
It also portrays a self-boasting Commissioner who lauds the Force’s achievements as his own and speaks of the many offers he received to head a number of reputable organisations in the region, including commanding three police forces, taking over a regional security organisation and training Mexican Police Officers.
Assessing the details of the two leaked emails, it is logical to conclude that all is not well at the senior management level of the RSCNPF, and this can most certainly lead to the Force’s inefficiency in its fight against crime.
With a spiraling murder rate and other crimes, the citizens and residents of the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis need to feel secured and protected by members of the organisation, which is mandated to serve and protect. Therefore, in the interest of the nation, an amicable solution to the existing problems among the Commissioner and his Senior Officers is urgently needed.
