House votes for Griffith

FORMER national security minister Gary Griffith will be this country's next Commissioner of Police (CoP) after Acting CoP Stephen Williams demits office in September. A motion to approve Griffith's nomination for CoP was passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 19 for, none opposed and 13 absentions.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said Griffith's courage to oppose members of the former People's Partnership government on the LifeSport scandal was a good reason to believe that Griffith could be an effective CoP.

Rowley said Griffith was the only member of the former government to willingly subject himself to scrutiny in the emailgate scandal. Griffith's status as a witness in a legal matter against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan does not debar and former status as a politician do not debar him from being appointed CoP. The PM also said comments by some members of the Police Service that they will not work with Griffith if he is appointed CoP is "unacceptable."

Rowley observed that Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was absent for debates in the House on nominations for CoP. He said as prime minister, Persad-Bissessar did not see the appointment of a CoP as important. Before the vote was taken, Rowley said Government was lifting the whip on its MPs to let them vote on their conscience.