By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News

Pressure Mounts on Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken to Resign Following Double Day Hotel Tragedy

Georgetown, Guyana – Pressure is intensifying for Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken to step down following a series of troubling incidents under his leadership — the latest being the tragic death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge, whose body was retrieved Thursday morning from the pool at the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo.

The Guyana Police Force initially issued a false statement, claiming that the missing child had left the hotel in a red and black Raum vehicle heading toward Vreed-en-Hoop. However, private security camera footage later confirmed that Adriana never exited the hotel, exposing serious flaws and dishonesty in the police report.

Prominent voices, including political and civil society figures, took to the streets in picket action outside the Office of the President, demanding accountability and immediate resignations.

Simona Brooms, leader of the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity Movement, declared:

“The President must not allow under his watch what is happening in this country to continue. Everyone must be held accountable — the Commissioner, the Minister — all of them!”

Brooms and others pointed to what they described as the greatest operational crisis facing the Guyana Police Force in a generation, citing poor leadership, political bias, and a lack of professionalism.

Critics slammed Commissioner Hicken’s leadership, suggesting that he has become more focused on public relations stunts like “kite sharing and outreach promotions” instead of fulfilling his constitutional duty to protect citizens.

“Hicken must understand he holds a constitutional office where his primary duty is public protection, not political promotion,” one protestor stated.

Several opposition figures have joined the call for accountability:

• Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones said:

“Since Hicken’s appointment, we have witnessed too many questionable police killings. This is a template every time the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) is in office – heinous incidents, mass killings, and police excesses.”

• Former Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was among the first to demand Hicken’s retirement, citing corruption allegations and concerns over Hicken surpassing the mandatory retirement age.

The Guyanese public’s trust in the police has taken another major blow, with many citizens expressing outrage at the apparent attempt to mislead the nation regarding the circumstances surrounding Adriana Younge’s disappearance and death.

With growing public demonstrations, intense media scrutiny, and political pressure, the future of Commissioner Clifton Hicken hangs in the balance. Observers suggest that unless swift and transparent action is taken, public confidence in the Guyana Police Force could continue to erode.