Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley is expected to file a motion in Parliament today, calling on President George Maxwell Richards to immediately dismiss Nizam Mohammed as chairman of the Police Service Commission. Mohammed has been criticised by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Rowley over his March 25 statement to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament about ethnic imbalance in the Police Service.
Persad-Bissessar was angered by the statement, describing it as "reckless and divisive." She said Mohammed's view was not representative of the Government. After a meeting with President Richards last Monday, she said Mohammed's future as chairman of the commission was in the hands of Richards.
Rowley also met with Richards. He later said that he was confident Mohammed's appointment would be revoked by the President. Mohammed was called to a meeting with the President last Friday. After that meeting, Mohammed told reporters his status at the commission had not changed. Rowley said that in the wake of that latest development, he was seeking the assistance of the Government for a special sitting of Parliament on April 20 to debate "as a matter of urgency," a motion to have Mohammed dismissed. He said that day is being requested, as the scheduled Private Members' Day this month-April 22-is a public holiday.
"The Opposition expects the Government to make provisions to have this motion debated as a matter of urgency," Rowley said. He said discussions were expected to take place between chief whip Marlene McDonald and leader of government business, Dr Roodal Moonilal. However, when Moonilal was asked yesterday if any decision had been taken about a special sitting to debate Rowley's motion, he said: "No." Richards is expected to issue a statement on the matter by Wednesday. Sources said Mohammed had been given some more time to consider calls for his resignation in the wake of his statement. Mohammed is insisting he has done no wrong.