UNC queries Stanley John report on police operations

Oropouche MP Dr Roodal Moonilal is querying the terms under which Retired Justice Stanley John undertook an investigation into the granting of firearm licences which resulted in the issuance of the Stanley John report. He also questioned how the report was presented to the National Security Council.

Speaking at the UNC’s weekly media conference on Monday, Moonilal shared a letter he said was signed by former Police Service Commission chairman Bliss Seepersad. The letter, which was shared with the media, said, “The Police Service Commission is in the process of selecting and appointing a commissioner of police pursuant to its constitutional remit under section 123 of the Constitution.

"In this regard, we wish the following issues to be investigated: 1. Allegations of corruption in the issuance of Fireman Users’ Licences; 2. The handling of the reported incident at sea involving the Head of the Legal Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.

“It is the view of the commission that the above matters should be investigated as the matters may touch and concern corruption and or impropriety within the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and these are issues that could impact decisions on selection and appointment.

“Please sign below indicating your acceptance of this appointment.”

Moonilal queried the brevity of the letter, and asked why there were no terms of reference attached.

He also enquired of John how the report was handed to a parliamentary committee if it was commissioned by the PSC.

“If the PSC as an independent institutional body appointed John to do a report for them, how can (National Security Minister) Fitzgerald Hinds indicate on a radio station, that John gave the report to a group of politicians, who constitute a Cabinet sub-committee, called the National Security Council.

"John did a report for the PSC and Hinds has said on the public record that the politicians, ministers, that constitute a sub-committee of Cabinet, received the report from John. I would like to know from John on what basis the report was handed to politicians whose names were also allegedly in that report.”

Moonilal called on John to speak up about the issue.