Nicole defends Gary

FORMER Congress of the People (COP) chairman Nicole Dyer-Griffith yesterday defended her husband Gary Griffith, Commissioner of Police (CoP)-designate, after COP leader Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan challenged the Prime Minister’s recollection of Griffith’s record during the House debate on his nomination.

Seepersad-Bachan had said the COP, not Griffith, had demanded the exit of then sport minister Anil Roberts over Life Sport, and alleged Griffith had been axed for phoning attorney David West on behalf of former attorney general (AG) Anand Ramlogan amid witness-tampering claims, instead of reporting it all.

She also queried Griffith’s suitability to hold an impartial office such as CoP, given his past in party politics.

Yesterday Dyer-Griffith alleged the COP leader had attempted to discredit a duly appointed CoP-designate (Griffith), and said this was “extremely disappointing.”
“As a former deputy chairman and chairman of that organisation (COP), during that period, the organisation, like many others at that time, publicly condemned any wrongdoing in the Life Sport matter, only after it was raised in the national consciousness by the then sitting Minister of National Security, who happened to be Gary Griffith.”

She said the COP National Council had discussed related matters involving a then minister and had issued statements, all after that matter was raised publicly by Griffith.
“How therefore, would the COP and national community have known about these Life Sport matters with related detail, had it not been raised by the then minister?”

Dyer-Griffith also addressed the Ramlogan/West issue. “The COP leader, made the audacious claim that Mr Griffith should have submitted a report to the police.

“Does the COP leader know exactly what was said to Mr Griffith by the former AG to deem that a criminal offence was indeed undertaken by the sender of the call?”

Dyer-Griffith said Seepersad-Bachan’s statement might wrongly suggest Griffith may have deliberately refused to submit information to the police related to a criminal offence.
“If this was so, then how is it that at no time has Mr Griffith ever been a person of interest or suspect in the matter, but instead a possible witness to ascertain if criminal wrongdoing took place by others?”

Dyer-Griffith addressed Griffith’s firing over the phone call to West.
“To remind, the former prime minister was clear when she said that all persons involved in the matter should demit office, and at no time said that Griffith was removed for not telling her about a conversation he had with both persons involved in the matter.”

She addressed the COP leader’s statement that Griffith’s appointment as CoP would create a precedent for politically affiliated individuals to fill other independent posts.

“One wonders if this position holds true for persons who may presently sit in positions within the Judiciary who also had similar past political affiliations.”

She said the Constitution does not debar a person who has left political office from continuing to serve their nation in any capacity.
“Further, Mr Griffith’s continued non-political stance on matters pertaining to national security clearly demonstrates he is more than capable to perform without political blinders.”