‘DPA can’t revoke legislation for recruitment of CoP’

Director of Personnel Administration Gloria Edwards-Joseph says she is not responsible for changing the legislative framework or revoking legislation on recruiting a police commissioner. She was reacting to a T&T Guardian report yesterday that the selection process for the post of police commissioner and deputy police commissioner had stalled because of an issue with the legal notice about application for the jobs.

Edwards-Joseph said she continues to work alongside the Police Service Commission to provide administrative support. A commission member yesterday reiterated that the organisation was in support of a local commissioner, saying the recruitment process for foreigners was way too lengthy and expensive.

The  spokesman said for a new selection process to be put in place, there must be a change in the legislation governing the process. The spokesman said recommendations would have to be sent to Cabinet for the green light to be given to ensure only local applicants would be eligible to apply.

The spokesman, however, could not give a timeline, saying it was a work in progress. In a press release issued yesterday, the commission said it had instructed the DPA to initiate the process of recruitment for the posts of police commissioner and deputy police commissioner.

With this objective, the DPA requested funds from the Finance Ministry, which are now being sought in the 2012-2013 budget. Meanwhile, the commission is in the process of moving to a building previously occupied by the University of Trinidad and Tobago at Tunapuna.