House blanks CoP notification

MINUTES before the House of Representatives went into its scheduled recess until September, Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis disclosed that a new notification for the appointment of a Commissioner of Police (CoP) had come to the Parliament.

The notification was not listed on the House Order Paper. Recalling that the House recently determined that the process the Police Service Commission used to select a CoP was “lacking in transparency,” Robinson-Regis said, “One can come to the conclusion that the Commission sis a job which cannot be explained and which was wholly unreliable.”

Robinson-Regis said recommendations coming out of that flawed process,”cannot and will not be accepted.” In her capacity as Leader of Government Business, Robinson-Regis said, “I have instructed the Clerk that this matter not be proceeded with.”

Chaguanas West Ganga Singh objected that this was “a subversion of the Constitution.” Singh refused to withdraw this remark when Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George advised him to do so and instead packed his briefcase and stormed out of the Chamber.

Robinson-Regis later told Newsday, the Constitution states the President shall issue a notification in respect of each person nominated. That person is not the President’s nominee and the President serves as a conduit. Robinson-Regis said, “It is very likely that during the recess the Clerk will make copies of the notification to all members.”

When this happens, she added, “There is nothing stopping the Opposition if they wish to debate this notification.” Robinson-Regis observed any MP can do this bit, “the Government’s position remains that the process was flawed.” Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar later said, “Once the notification is received, the law says it must be laid.” She agreed with Robinson-Regis’ assessment that if the process is flawed in one instance, the process is still flawed.

However Persad-Bissessar reiterated, “The law says once it is received, it must be laid.” While Parliament cannot force Government to lay the notification, Persad-Bissessar said, “There is a higher authority which could force them to act in accordance with the law.” The Opposition will pursue those options, she added.