Gail Alexander
A cop-out by the Prime Minister.
Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith says Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has ducked the real questions on Rowley’s alleged interference in the Police Service Commission’s 2021 merit list for commissioner which Griffith had topped.
Griffith said yesterday, “The Prime Minister still has questions to answer.”
This was after Rowley recently revealed he was the one who gave former commission chairman Bliss Seepersad information on Griffith.
That came from a report on the distribution of Firearm Users Licences (FULs) under Griffith’s watch.
After receiving this information, Seepersad withdrew the merit list.
Griffith wrote the Director of Public Prosecutions on Monday seeking a probe of the TTPS’ failure to do transparent investigations surrounding the removal of the list. He copied the letter to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and PolSC. He also launched media blitzes to defend himself and counter-attack Rowley’s points.
Rowley subsequently responded to other queries raised.
Yesterday, Griffith panned the replies. He claimed Rowley tried to say that a Privy Council ruling gave him the authority to undertake his action.
“It did not,” Griffith said.
He said the ruling actually involved matters on if Government had legitimate documents from a relevant investigative body like the SSA or TTPS, “not a retiree and civilian who he handpicked and did a report that could be written how it might be requested and that could be given to the PolSC.”
“Secondly, the ruling doesn’t cover wrongful activity in what he did by trying to hand over something to try to influence a process that was already completed.”
Griffith asked how Rowley knew the list hadn’t reached Parliament yet.
“Obviously there was some inside information, which shows wrong activity too.”
Griffith questioned if the President refused to send the merit list to Parliament, if she was influenced or told not to and how the PolSc could rescind the list if Seepersad didn’t show other members the reports. He queried if she “speed-read” the report or someone had directed or influenced her to withdraw the list.