Deputy Commissioner of Police Maurice Piggott has called for a public apology from Police Service Social and Welfare Association president Anand Ramesar. Piggott is now on pre-retirement leave.
Ramesar has 28 days to retract statements made against Piggott and the Promotions Board of the T&T Police Service, or be a defendant to a defamation lawsuit. The threat of legal action was contained in a pre-action protocol letter sent to Ramesar on Monday, relating to his comments on the perceived "ethnic imbalance" in the Police Service.
The letter described as "distasteful," the discussion by Ramesar of alleged bribery of First Division officers relative to the obtaining of Firearm User's Licences. Piggott, who chaired the Promotions Board during his tenure as DCP, met with a team of lawyers at the Justitia Omnibus law chambers on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. He had a lengthy meeting with attorneys Keith Scotland, Asha Watkins, Daniel Khan and Celeste St Louis, who are expected to lead the litigation should the matter go to court.
The letter alleges that Piggott was "libelled" and "slandered" in a letter written by Ramesar on December 8, 2010, and on television and radio programmes broadcast on April 6. Piggott, who was the lead detective in inquiries into alleged fraud in the construction of the $1.6 billion Piarco Airport terminal building, is also seeking damages for the alleged defamation. Piggott was a police officer for close to 40 years before going on pre-retirement leave at the start of the year. He succeeded Ramesar who had previously sat as chairman of the Promotions Board.