Rowley: Opposition Leader has deputy PCA's name

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The issue of the vacancy of the deputy director of the Police Complaints Authority has been sent to the Leader of the Opposition for consideration.

The Prime Minister said on Thursday he signed off on the correspondence from the Office of the President on July 1 and forwarded it to the Opposition Leader.

The five-year contract of Michelle Solomon-Baksh came to an end on June 28. This position needs the joint advice of the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader. If they fail to agree, President Paula-Mae Weekes will make the appointment.

The PCA is the only independent civilian organisation which has the power to investigate serious acts of misconduct by police officers including fatal police shootings. In the last week, four people were shot dead by police, including two teenagers and a man at Independence Square, Port of Spain on July 2.

Rowley, at the post-Cabinet news conference on Thursday, said the PCA continues to operate in the absence of the deputy director and the matter is expected to go before the President soon.

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