Justice John sends Justice Jones the FUL report

RETIRED Justice Stanley John has sent the report on his investigation into firearm user licence (FUL) issuance to Police Service Commission (PSC) chairman retired Justice Judith Jones, he told Newsday on Wednesday.

John said it was sent to the new PSC chairman, "yesterday (Tuesday) in the middle of the afternoon, three o'clock."

In September, John was commissioned by former PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad to investigate an alleged corruption racket in the sale of FULs said to involve certain senior police officers, gun dealers and firearms instructors, plus other matters.

The issuing of 5,000 FULs in the past three years, exceeding the usual 200 per year, led the National Security Council (NCS), chaired by the Prime Minister, to appoint retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard and retired Snr Supt Arthur Barrington to investigate.

Their findings were sent to the PSC, under Seepersad, which commissioned John to do his own independent investigation for the commission.

While all members of the Seepersad-led PSC had resigned by September 30, over the imbroglio over the suspension (and then stepping aside) of then commissioner of police Gary Griffith to facilitate the FUL probe, last week Tuesday President Paula-Mae Weekes swore in a new PSC under the chairmanship of Jones.

The new body can both receive the FUL report and name an acting or substantive commissioner to head the police service now led by DCP McDonald Jacob, in his substantive rank.