Kamla: Did PM sabotage selection of top CoP post?

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The new Police Service Commission (PolSC) must immediately investigate why the previous commission’s merit list for Police Commissioner was withdrawn in August 2021– and the new commission must publicly give their reasons for scrapping that 2021 merit list.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who issued this call on Tuesday, also queried if Prime Minister Keith Rowley deliberately “sabotaged” the selection of a commissioner “out of his personal vendetta” against former commissioner Gary Griffith.

Persad-Bissessar based her call to the PolSC and query about Rowley, citing information obtained by activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj following his Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the commission for information.

Maharaj sought the last commission’s merit list for the CoP, information on acting appointments and other issues.

That 2021 merit list, which was withdrawn by former commission chairman Bliss Seepersad, showed Griffith topping the list.

Nominations were 1. Gary Griffith 2. Jason Francis 3. Andre Norton 4. Erla Harewood- Christopher.

Persad- Bissessar said, “This is the same merit list that was alleged to have been intercepted by a ‘high ranking Government official’, and of which no official explanation has ever been given for its deliberate suppression.”

“As a result of this FOIA, we now know that a letter dated August 11, 2021 containing four nominations for the substantive appointment of Commissioner of Police was submitted to Her Excellency Paula-Mae Weekes.”

“The FOIA also revealed that a letter dated August 12, 2021 was also submitted to Her Excellency containing the following nominees for acting appointment to the post of Commissioner of Police. 1. Mr Gary Griffith and 2. Mr McDonald Jacob.”

“It’s clear that Mr Gary Griffith was the first choice by the PolSC to be appointed acting Commissioner of Police and also to be reappointed in his position as Commissioner of Police.”

Persad-Bissessar added, that “facing public pressure” with the collapse of the Seepersad PolSC, Rowley “confessed” to having written the commission complaining about Griffith in September 2020.”

She said, “That disturbing revelation, coupled with the disclosure of nominees for the top CoP position on the August 2021 merit list, leaves us with a serious question: Did Keith Rowley violate the constitution and the law by deliberately sabotaging the selection of a commissioner out of his personal vendetta against Gary Griffith?”

“The fact that the current PolSC chaired by Justice Judith Jones has inexplicably decided to restart the selection for a CoP completely ignoring the Merit List of August 2021 only compounds the view that gross political interference from the Rowley government has tainted this entire process.”

She said the people who are without a substantive CoP demand answers to this serious issue, which raises questions over the Police Service’s independence and “strikes at the heart” of democracy.

Persad- Bissessar added, “The commission needs to launch an immediate investigation as to why the merit list submitted to Her Excellency in August of 2021 was withdrawn and under whose instructions.”

“Further, this new commission needs to make public their reasons for scrapping the August 2021 Merit List, what process and/or laws they followed in doing so, and the details of the legal advice suggesting that they should start the process afresh. For the safety and well-being of citizens we cannot allow Keith Rowley and the PNM to treat the T&T Police Service as their private army,” she also said.

Mark: Govt “gerrymandering” selection

Persad Bissessar’s statement arrived soon after UNC Senator Wade Mark, in the Senate, accused Government of having a pattern of of seeking to “interfere, influence and gerrymander” the CoP/deputy selection process.

Mark was piloting an Opposition motion seeking to annul Legal Notice Orders 277 and 278 which prescribed the selection process for a CoP and deputies.

Mark noted Order 277 was brought last November after an October judgment on the acting CoP appointment ruled that the previous Order 183 on such appointments was null and void was. Judgment also invalidated appointments since 2009.

Mark said Order 277 appeared consistent with the judgment.

But he added that Stuart Young subsequently guided the Cabinet to do a new legal notice—278—removing seniority from criteria for selection. He said no reason was given for the change.

He said legal notice 278 will demotivate police officers since it removes seniority from criteria and a junior officer might be chosen over long serving officers, as the junior officer may have a party card and be loyal to the Government in office.

Mark felt the objective was to get the commission to appoint a commissioner of a Government’s liking “so the CoP will dance to the drumbeat of whoever the Prime Minister is.”

He said the commission had its own regulations and general rule involves seniority.

“And no executive bringing subsidiary legislation can trump the Constitution,” he said.

Mark said Government seemed to be on course to “further manipulate” the commission to do its work. Independent and Government senators didn’t support Mark’s motion.