Griffith: I’m over-scrutinised

GARY GRIFFITH, Commissioner of Police (CoP) designate, yesterday complained of being over-scrutinised by the media, in a statement titled, “Time to shift focus from personality and points to position and performance.”

He said he had always expected some push-back to his application as CoP due to his style of standing firm on doing right, without fear or favour. “What the nation has seen even prior to me attaining office, has been quite startling.

“I cannot recall such intense scrutiny on a daily basis to anyone else, in comparison to what we have seen via stories involving dozens of personal matters about me.”

He said mud was thrown daily, hoping that some may stick, with daily focus not on his anti-crime plans, but his residence, salary, allowances, past occupation and “other accusations that are too amazing to mention.”

Griffith said, “I give the assurance that I would not be distracted from the task at hand, as my focus, upon assumption of office, is to provide a degree of security to each and every law abiding citizen in this country.”

He said some reports and comments go overboard. “I am forced to respond for clarification, as such comments seem earmarked not to inform the public based on their interest or demand to know such matters, but as an avenue to shift focus on trying to discredit me, rather than dealing with the main issue at hand, which is to ensure a safe and secure society.”

Griffith said a newspaper had focused on his prior occupation and so questioned his ethics. “I briefed the same reporter on matters that the public may wish to know more of, which is how do I intend to make them safer, yet nothing pertaining to national safety and security was reported upon, as the personal aspects seemed more of interest.”

He said the newspaper’s editors said this personal information is what the public wants to know. “I beg to differ, as I believe that the public needs more details on how they would be secure, rather than wanting to know where I worked previously, as nothing reported upon is a secret.” Griffith said he expects such attacks to his persona.

“It seems that this is an orchestrated plan by some to use their contacts by sending false information via a source, to shift focus from what I am earmarked to do, and try to reduce the vast public confidence that presently exists, possibly in the hope that this would ensure that I am not successful in my goal, via distraction, and loss of public confidence and trust in me.”