Woman refuse to take polygraph test as officers questioned about their sex life
Members of the Guyana Police Force, Special organised Crime Unit and Financial Intelligence Unit are among the organisations and agencies whose employees have been asked to subject themselves to a polygraph test.
However while most persons complied with the policy move by their respective agency although having some concerns, one woman who is employed by one of the agency refused to take the test on the grounds of its legality.
BIG Smith Crime Watch has been informed that the woman who is verse in the legal field questioned the process and the legal bearing of the exercise as she made it clear that she would not be subjecting herself to the process as the laws of Guyana does not mandate that a person be subjected to such an exercise nor is there anything in the constitution that speaks to sanctions to or for anyone who refuses to subject themselves to such a process.
A number of questions are being asked through a questionnaire which those who are taking the test are required to fill out. There are also questions which surrounds one’s sex life and where they are even being asked if they at any point traveled out of the country to engage in sexual activities.
A number of senior officers have indicated to BIG Smith Crime Watch that prior to them being hooked up to the machine, the questionnaire is handed to them and they are expected to complete it before being questioned on aspects which they detailed there as well as around those questions.
At the moment the Police Service Commission promotes officers based on several criteria including but not limited to performance on the job, conduct, personnel file and of course recommendations from the Guyana Police Force administration. The ongoing holograph exercise is also indicated to the ranks that it will have bearings on their promotions. Questions are also being asked on the issue of drugs and substances use and abuse, associates, bribery and other matters.
It was related that during a meeting with the officers of the Guyana Police Force and the team conducting the exercise, concerns were raised that the officers were not briefed in advance about the force’s intentions to have the polygraph test conducted.
A number of officers reportedly questioned the legality of subjecting one’s self to a polygraph test in Guyana and the consequences if an officer refuses to take the test. We were told that those ranks who asked those and other questions were told that the Commissioner of Police will be furnished with the concerns. Notwithstanding this, the officers were still required to sit and have the tests done.
“Officers are receiving calls to say, please come down to a meeting and when you reach at the location, it is then that you are told that you need to do a polygraph test and they take you into a room, you fill out a form asking you a number of stupid and silly questions and then they hook you up to the machine and question you based on your answers provided on the form” One police officer related.
BIG Smith Crime watch was told that officers are also being told that the questionnaire and the hooking up to the machine are just part of the entire process.The polygraph testing is not applicable to the Commissioner of Police and his four deputies.
