PSC members to be sworn in on Tuesday

THE five new members of the Police Service Commission (PSC) will be sworn in on Tuesday morning at President's House, St Ann's, by President Paula-Mae Weekes, Newsday learnt.

Last Wednesday, a divided House of Representatives approved five nominees sent by Weekes to constitute a new PSC, raising the prospect of a new commissioner of police (CoP) being named in the coming weeks.

The Opposition voted against the nominees, having said no appointments should be made until Weekes had explained why the CoP order of merit list had not reached Parliament for debate after it was sent from the former PSC head to the President, amid allegations of political interference.

The new PSC consists of retired judge Judith Jones, management consultant Maxine Attong, criminologist Ian Kevin Ramdhanie, accountant Maxine King and attorney Rajiv Persad.

They replace former PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad who resigned on September 30 and former commissioners Courtney McNish, Dr Susan Craig-James and Roger Kawalsingh who resigned on September 22, September 25 and September 27 respectively over the acting police commissioner appointment débâcle.

Last Wednesday, the Opposition queried the political impartiality of several nominees but Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George disallowed debate on any speculative allegations against the nominees.