Griffith to write PCA, PSC in Brent Thomas matter

FORMER police commissioner Gary Griffith says the admission of liability by Barbados in the “forcible removal” of businessman Brent Thomas “will now reveal who authorised the abduction.”

Griffith, who is also political leader of the National Transformation Alliance (NTA), was commenting on a Sunday Newsday report on the weekend that the Barbados government had accepted liability in the matter.

Sunday Newsday reported on a letter from Roger Forde, KC, attorney for Barbados Attorney General Dale Marshal who said he had advised his client that “the State of Barbados should accept liability in respect of the claim for breach of section 18 of the Constitution of Barbados,”

Forde’s letter also said, “In the circumstances, kindly send me a claim on quantum together with authorities in support of the same.

He also added, “I am of the view that many of the documents requested by you touch and concern liability which my client has agreed to accept.”

Thomas was on his way to visit his US cardiologist and stopped over in Barbados when he was detained and dragged from his hotel on October 5, 2022, handcuffed and handed over to three officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Professional Standards Bureau on the tarmac of the Grantley Adams International Airport.

On April 10, the Barbados Nation newspaper quoted Forde as saying that Barbados was expected to broker an out-of-court settlement.

He confirmed the Barbados government’s acknowledgement of liability. Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, was quoted on April 9 as saying he was going ahead with the State’s appeal of a decision by Justice Devindra Rampersad who held Thomas’s arrest was unlawful. The judge also stayed all charges against Thomas.

Thomas has since asked the Barbados Government to provide information.

Griffith said the issue had the potential for reputational damage to the police service.

He called on the Commissioner of Police “to do her job without fear or favour.”

“I urge the government to immediately come clean and fire the minister and other officials involved, to show some respect to citizens who deserve the truth and who must be guaranteed that no one is untouchable.”

Griffith said he also intended to again write to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and the Police Service Commission.