Jack, Alfonso hail impending appointment

FORMER national security ministers Jack Warner and Carl Alfonso yesterday welcomed the Parliament’s approval of Gary Griffith as the next Police Commissioner.

Warner told Newsday the House of Representatives’ approval of Griffith’s nomination represented “the dawn of a new era in the fight against crime.”

Reiterating his confidence that Griffith will be an effective commissioner, Warner said this development reflected wisdom on the part of the Prime Minister. Dr Rowley, he continued, is belatedly showing “this is a national government.”

Warner was disappointed by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s absence from Parliament and how the Opposition handled the debate.

“How the hell can you abstain?”

Alfonso said when he was Defence Force Chief of Staff, Griffith was his aide.

Saying Griffith has demonstrated himself to be “a leader of men,” Alfonso said Griffith’s military background will not negatively affect his functioning as CoP, and the fact that the former major general Antony Anderson is now Jamaica’s police commissioner proves this.

Alfonso said Griffith knows Anderson and should have a conversation with him.