Griffith worries about CoP selection process

FORMER commissioner of police (CoP) Gary Griffith is concerned that the work of the Police Service Commission (PSC) to select the best person to serve as CoP could be undermined.

Griffith, Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) Erla Christopher, Assistant Police Commissioner (ACP) Andre Norton and Lt Colonel Sheldon Ramnanan are reported to have been shortlisted by the PSC in its search for a new CoP.

On Saturday, Griffith said, "It would be inappropriate for me at this time to make any comment pertaining to any correspondence between the PSC and myself, unless and until there is some official leak that will take place.

He observed that some people "are trying to use this as an opportunity to market themselves, to show justification that they should be the person for the job.

Griffith, who is also National Transformation Alliance (NTA) political leader, does not intend to go down that road.

"This is not a political rally where you are trying to lure and try to get the public to vote for you."

He recalled other people in the past who publicly campaigned to be CoP.

"You are applying for the post of CoP. This (PSC) is an independent body. Why are you making public statements that you have a crime plan and that you know what to do and you will be the best person for the job?"

Griffith said, "This is not about being a sheriff in a small town in North America where people are going to vote for you. We are not in that position."

Reiterating the PSC is an independent body doing a very stringent process to determine the best person for the job of CoP.

"When people say they could be a good commissioner because of a crime plan. Whoever is the person who is appointed, it is hoped it is understood that it is more than just having a crime plan."

He quipped, "Having a crime plan is a plan to commit crime."

Griffith said being a CoP involves leadership; ensuring accountability; proper management; measuring performance; trying to win over hearts and minds; trying to win morale; motivate police officers; get the public to buy into the fact, believe in you and believe they they could trust you.

He reiterated his concerns about the Constitution being flawed.

"It means that regardless what the PSC decides, regardless of what the vast majority of the population wants, regardless of who will be the best person for the job, one person and one person alone could go into Parliament and give a direction to his MPs, and all of the points, the merit lists, the decisions by the PSC, the needs of the country, the concerns of the country can be totally sidelined."

Griffith claimed this is a dictatorial situation.

"Any time when you have a country, when one person alone can handpick and decide who you want as the CoP and bypass the independent body, bypass what is right for the country, bypass what the country wants...that is the first sign of dictatorship."

He said there could be a shortlist of 16 people but the the 15th person might be somebody " who can have the strongest PNM, UNC, or whatever, party card."

Griffith added that in this situation, the prime minister can bypass everyone else and choose the person to be their puppet.

"That is definitely what we do not want for a democratic country."

Efforts to contact Christopher were unsucessful.

On October 11, the House of Representatives approved a motion for Christopher to act as CoP while acting CoP McDonald Jacob is in the UK for a week on official duties.

In moving the motion, the Prime Minister said he would consult with Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, about bringing legislation to Parliament to allow the PSC to make short-term acting appointments in the police service without the involvement of Parliament.

"From a practical standpoint, I think it should be useful for the commission to be able to make a short-term appointment and not having to have the Parliament come out in crisis to appoint somebody for a day or two."

After his term ended in August last year, Griffith was appointed to act as commissioner by the PSC without Parliament's green light. While he was on vacation, Jacob was appointed to act in his stead.

This triggered legal actions, the most significant being an interpretation claim by social activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj for the court to declare that Griffith’s appointment to act as commissioner was illegal and unconstitutional. Balgobin argued that the acting appointment did not follow the procedure set out by the Constitution. Justice Nadia Kangaloo agreed and went a step further, to highlight that acting appointments as a DCP or CoP need Parliament’s approval.

Christopher, who is acting as a DCP and was doing so at the time of the court ruling, which was not retroactive, is the highest-ranked officer in the police service after Jacob, who remains the only confirmed DCP.

Norton, when contacted, said, "I have not received any official correspondence from the PSC." He added that when asked about this by another media house, he never said that he could not confirm or deny having received such correspondence from the commission.

Ramnanan confirmed receiving an e-mail from the PSC's secretariat and an attached letter dated October 13 from the Director Personnel Administration, Service Commissions Department.

That letter told Ramnanan that he was accepted as a candidate for the position of CoP and will be "invited to participate in an assessment exercise and at later date."

Ramnanan was unconcerned about a repeat of what happened with the PSC last September when Griffith was suspended and Jacob appointed acting CoP.

"I have trust and confidence that the current PSC is above board and its members will learn from the lessons be it mistakes from its predecessors."

Ramnanan believes some of the assets he brings to the post of CoP are patriotism, personal sacrifice, an immediate level of discipline and a renewed sense of independence and integrity as some outside of the police service and with no internal allegiance to it.

UNC deputy political leader Dr Roodal Moonilal said, "I have no faith in the PNM and Rowley to abide by the recommendations and respect the process of the PSC.

Moonilal claimed, "If their political nominee is not selected, they will scuttle the entire process as they did before."

He added, "Clearly they will not support Mr Griffith whose appointment Rowley described as his 'greatest mistake'."