Behind-the-scenes negotiations between lawyers for Gary and PSC

INFORMATION reaching Newsday on Thursday was that attorneys for former police commissioner Gary Griffith and the Police Service Commission (PSC) were meeting to try and hammer out a possible settlement and end the ongoing controversy which has seen one PSC member resign and calls for all of the PSC members to quit.

The deal could see Griffith return to the post as acting police commissioner for a brief period before agreeing to step aside until the end of October.

Sources said Griffith is likely to withdraw his legal challenge against his suspension once the terms of the settlement are finalised.

He was expected to make a statement on Thursday, but up to 7 pm, Newsday was told there was still some wrangling between the lawyers on a specific issue.

On Monday, Griffith filed a judicial review application challenging the PSC’s decision to suspend him on the basis of an investigation it initiated on September 1, headed by retired Justice of Appeal Stanley John, into allegations of corruption in the issuance of firearm user’s licences; and the police handling of an incident at sea involving Christian Chandler, the head of the legal unit in the police service.

Griffith maintains the PSC's decision to suspend him on September 17, with immediate effect and until further notice, on the sole basis of the Stanley John investigation, is null, void and of no legal effect.

On Monday he filed for judicial review of the suspension and the case came up for hearing on Tuesday before Justice Ricky Rahim who adjourned it to Monday, to give the PSC’s attorneys an opportunity to get instructions and file the necessary responses, if required.

However, on Thursday, the case was reassigned to Justice Nadia Kangaloo who is also hearing a separate challenge to Griffith’s appointment.

That legal challenge, by social activist Ravi Balgobin-Maharaj also came up for hearing on Tuesday, but did not get off the ground as Justice Kangaloo adjourned it to October 1, to give the PSC and Griffith an opportunity to respond to the interpretation claim.

Balgobin-Maharaj is questioning the acting appointment when Griffith’s three-year contract as top cop came to an end on August 17.

Kangaloo is also hearing a challenge to the appointment of a new commissioner brought by Acting Snr Supt Anand Ramesar over the PSC’s handling of the police commissioner recruitment process.