Independents see no conspiracy in CoP Order

INDEPENDENT Senators Dr Maria Dillon-Remy, Paul Richards and Dr Varma Deyalsingh said they saw no ulterior motives behind the Commissioner of Police (CoP) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (Selection Process) Order, 2021, as alleged by the Opposition UNC.

They each made this observation in their respective contributions to debate in the Senate on Monday on a private motion by Opposition Senator Wade Mark to annul this order.

While she initially thought there could be cause for concern in the order, Dillon-Remy said after studying itand listening to Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi's earlier contribution to the debate, there was "no evidence that the Police Service Commission's (PSC) role is diminished. "

While she initially had reservations about the provisions for hiring a firm in recruiting a CoP and DCP being removed, Dillon-Remy said, "If the commission is making the appointment. the commission should be given the authority which it has in law.

"I accept they have the right to do this (hire a firm) if they so desire. I am not accepting that their power and authority is being undermined by this order."

But Dillon-Remy asked, "Why is this being brought one month before the CoP's appointment ends?"

She said if a firm were needed to recruit candidates for CoP, that should have happened months before now.

"Actually it was known when the CoP was appointed that his appointment would end on a certain date. Therefore there was enough time to bring to the Parliament the order, particularly if there was such a significant change being made in the process."

Dillon-Remy added, "We seem to operate that way in Trinidad and Tobago and that is not acceptable."

Richards said,"One of the things we have to be careful of in this country is that we set up important institutions and in setting them up, we in some instances, circumvent their effectiveness in their constitutional remit."

Richards said the PSC has appeared before the National Security joint select committee (JSC), of which he is a member.

"One of the issues that we really have to be aware of in terms of the autonomy, independence and functioning of the PSC, in addition to maintaining its independence, are its resources."

He said the PSC has previously complained to the JSC about "extremely limited resources" to carry out its mandate.

On whether the order has compromised the PSC's independence and autonomy, Richards said, "My humble opinion is that it has not."

Deyalsingh said it was always a dangerous situation for any CoP to become a tool of any government. On whether the order undermines the PSC, Deyalsingh said, "I really don't think that is so."

He also said there are institutions like the Police Complaints Authority which serve as a safeguard against any police officer, including a CoP, abusing their power.

Deyalsingh said the economic challenges posed by the covid19 pandemic do not warrant any exorbitant expenditure in recruiting a CoP.