Police Service Commission member resigns after ex-CoP takes PSC to court

A member of the Police Service Commission (PSC) has resigned, the day after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar called on the commission to do so.

She accused the PSC of being politically tainted by the suspension notice it issued to former Police Commissioner Gary Griffth.

In a media release on Tuesday, President Paula-Mae Weekes said she had accepted the resignation of industrial relations expert Courtney McNish from the commission with immediate effect.

McNish's resignation means the PSC is not fully constituted.

In 2018, the President appointed Dr Susan Craig-James a member of the PSC. In a media release then, the Office of the President said with Craig-James’ appointment, the PSC was fully constituted, for the first time since 2016.

In April, PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad’s appointment was renewed, with praise heaped on her by then national security minister Stuart Young.

The other members of the PSC are: chairman Seepersad, Roger Kawalsingh and Craig-James. McNish’s term was due to end in June 2023.

On Monday, former police commissioner Gary Griffith took the PSC to court, challengingits suspension notice. The matter was heard on Tuesday afternoon.

Griffith also accused senior police and government officials of being part of a conspiracy to get him out of office. He added that the conspiracy might extend to his facing trumped-up criminal charges.