Lee hits Govt over Dulalchan vote

DEMOCRACY is under threat, alleged Opposition whip David Lee yesterday, hitting the Government for rejecting Acting Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) Deodat Dulalchan as new Commissioner of Police (CoP) after the Opposition’s walkout on Wednesday.

Lee told Newsday the Opposition had come to Parliament only to debate the Special Select Committee (SSC) Report on the recruitment process. After Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley spoke debate on the Special Select Committee motion on the CoP recruitment process, Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh had tried to speak, unsuccessfully. “The Speaker did not acknowledge Dr Gopeesingh but Fitzgerald Hinds (Minister in the Office of the Attorney General). We felt our voices were not being heard and the Leader of the Opposition (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) took a decision to walk out.”

He said in the Opposition's absence, the Government brought a suite of legislation that was not due to be debated on Wednesday, saying, “Democracy is under siege." Lee also complained that the Government had used the occasion to strike down Dulalchan’s nomination but did not do likewise for nominee Harold Phillips, despite both being assessed using the same process. "That shows the Government’s choice is Harold Phillips,” Lee alleged.

“But if the process is flawed you should have struck off both names. You can’t be half pregnant. How could you keep Phillips’ name but strike off Dulalchan?” Lee said the country should be concerned at the processes taking place in Parliament.

He asked why would the Government want to debate the motion without the input of 18 Opposition MPs who collectively represent 350,000 constituents? Lee said the general public must ask the Prime Minister to account for the turn of events at Wednesday’s sitting. He speculated that the impending exit of Acting CoP Stephen Williams may be prompting the Government to be angling for Phillips. “We have no horse in this race. Does the PM?” He said the recent recruitment process had cost the taxpayer $3.4 million. With the Government damning the recruitment process, Lee asked if the Government will now call for the resignation of the current Police Service Commission.