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POLITICAL leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah said there needs to be a serious review of the constitutional arrangement for hiring a police commissioner, to remove the role of the politicians from the process.
Abdulah said on Sunday Trinidad and Tobago does not need the politicisation of that appointment. He said the process has become very murky and the Police Service Commission (PSC) and its powers, the appointment of the commissioner and his or her powers and removing the role of the politician were crucial.
He said removing the substantive post of commissioner from Gary Griffith to one of acting, appointing Mc Donald Jacob to act as CoP in Griffith’s absence and one of the candidates stalling the appointment process by judicial review had led to uncertainty.
Added to the role of the PSC in terms of what it can and cannot do in relation to allegations of corruption in the hiring process and issuing gun licences was unhealthy, he felt.
“We believe that fundamentally this matter ought to engage the Parliament – not specifically who should be appointed CoP, but Parliament needs to once again look at the constitution that was amended in 2006."
He recalled that Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and Opposition Leader Patrick Manning agreed on a process which became cumbersome, with the PSC having to hire an international firm to do research, shortlist candidates and make recommendation to the PSC.
In turn the PCS would recommend eligible candidates to the President and the President to the Parliament.
He agreed that process needed review.
He said the 2006 amendment also gave the House of Representatives the power to make a decision.
“The Opposition Leader might have been trying to avoid the PM having veto powers according to the 1976 Constitution. Panday may have wanted to change that veto, but it was not changed.”
He said the House, by a simple majority, could make a decision on the shortlist of candidates.
“So the PM still has the veto. Even though it is not exercised by him or her individually, it is now going to be exercised by the majority of the members – the Government, So the PM still has the veto of the decision of the list of persons submitted by the PSC.
The MSJ, he said, believed the whole decision-making process must be reviewed.
"Fundamentally, it is not working at the moment. Even with the appointing of an acting commissioner it is problematic, but it is also fundamentally having political decisions about who the CoP should be.”
Abdulah took issue with Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal’s conspiracy theory with respect to Griffith.
Abdulah said Moonilal should be the last person to speak of a conspiracy against Griffith when the Opposition abstained from voting yea or nay when his appointment was being debated.
“They were trying to play both sides, as a game.
"But this is no game. This is very important. This is about the national security of TT and therefore the MSJ is calling for serious review by the Parliament of the constitutional process by which the PSC appoints a commissioner and to look again at all the functions of the PSC."
He said he is viewing the disturbing media reports about the PSC in the investigation of how firearm licences are being issued and SRPs and civilians hired.
“What that suggests is the increased power of the commissioner given to him by the 2006 amendment and reduction of the power of the PSC.
“While it makes sense for the CoP to have more managerial power and authority over the ranks, we may also need to review the hiring of persons within the police service.
“Discipline, yes, should be the purview of the senior managers, the CoP, Promotion should also be on that basis.
He said the hiring method neededto be addressed, "because we do not wish to have a politicised process of appointment of a CoP leading to a possible political person holding that position, and that political person being able to hire people.”
He said the politicisation of the police service this way would be very bad for the country.
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