By Denyse Renne

Trinidad Express

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – A move by the Government to amend the Police Service Commission (PSC) Act has been temporarily shelved.

The amendment would have seen the selection process for an acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) being widened to include officers at the rank of superintendent and senior superintendent for consideration to the substantive acting CoP post.

The Sunday Express understands a Government minister volunteered the name of then acting Supt Johnny Abraham to lead the service, should the amendment materialise.

Abraham, a former homicide detective attached to Region Two, received his promotion letter to the rank of superintendent on Thursday.

Sources further confirmed a draft amendment had been started and, after interaction with the executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Police and Social Welfare Association, the issue was temporarily shelved.

Sources further stated Abraham became the Government’s choice since he has the support of individuals in the Chaguanas borough, including business owners who have credited the drop in criminal activities in the district to him.

As it stands now, only the ranks of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) are considered for the acting top cop post by the PSC. While for the substantive post of Commissioner, any ranking officer can apply.

Sources told the Sunday Express the idea for the amendment was conceived by a minister and spoken about in Cabinet. The minister, who has a legal background, had expressed concern over the crime situation and the perceived inability of acting CoP Stephen Williams to control the escalating crime rate.

Sources say there was even talk of buying out Abraham’s leave, this idea was rescinde­d following the attention gained in the attempted purchase of ACP Wayne Dick’s leave and the buying out of several Special Branch officers assigned to the Prime Minister’s security detail leave.

When the Sunday Express contacted association president Insp Anand Ramesar, he admitted, “The issue of the amendment was raised with my association.

“Yes, the issue was raised. However, the association is not in support of any legislation that widens the pool of persons from whom an acting commissioner can be selected.”

Ramesar explained with the current structure in the Police Service, the acting position for Commissioner of Police should always go to the most senior police officer “which would be the most senior person in the rank of the DCP. With the current situation in the Police Service, that position automatically falls to Mr Stephen Williams”.

Ramesar said there must be a high level of impartiality in conducting the affairs of the Police Service, “especially when it comes to leadership criteria”.

“For all intents and purposes, the TTPS must be insulated from political interference and there are too many instances in the TTPS where police officers have been approaching Government officials for their intervention to assist them in securing their personal goals.”

Making reference to the attempted buyout of $.5 million in leave from ACP Wayne Dick, which was not known to Williams, Ramesar also alluded to the purchasing of leave by the Government, in which 36 detectives—one inspector, one sergeant, ten corporals and 24 constables attached to the Prime Minister’s detail—also had their leave purchased, and it was only after this transpired did the association and Williams find out.

“The leadership of the organisation must not be open to that level of interference. As it currently stands, the acting position of Commissioner goes to the senior person; that is satisfactory and we are prepared to let the dice fall where it may in relation to that position,” he said.

Ramesar said in recent times there has been no activity “either to trigger the current process for a CoP or to trigger the process for amending the current legislation for the faster recruitment of a Commissioner. That demonstrates that leadership in the Police Service is not a priority and for the members of the TTPS, it is the most demoralising inaction”.

To date, there is no head for the PSC.

In a letter dated August 1, then chairman of the PSC Prof Ramesh Deosaran tendered his resignation to President Anthony Carmona.

The letter was received by President’s House on August 6. Deosaran’s resignation became effective on September 1.

Other members of the commission include Addison Masefield Khan, Martin Anthony George, Roamar Achat-Saney and James Kenneth Armstrong.

Due to the absence of a chairman, the PSC is at a standstill.

The chairman is chosen by the President, in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister.

Referring to the inability of those in authority to start the appointment process for a CoP, Ramesar described the PSC as being inactive and not demonstrating administration or operations “regarding its role and function in the TTPS”.

Asked by the Sunday Express who recom­mended Abraham’s name for the top cop’s position, Ramesar said: “Any interaction the association has with such sensitive matters is confidential.”

The Sunday Express also contacted National Security Minister Gary Griffith, whom sources suggested was the one who interacted on behalf of Government with the association’s executive.

Sources say the meeting between Griffith and the association took place last month, and Griffith sought to convince the association the amendment was needed and that Abraham was the “man for the job”.

“There was talk about reducing the rank structure. Certain people were for this, but that was shelved. It was never approved at Cabinet level,” Griffith said.

Asked about the Government’s choice of Abraham, he said: “That will be impossible, the only person to recommend would be the PSC.

Admitting he did meet with the Ramesar-led association, Griffith said: “I spoke with the second division and asked them about opening the playing field to give greater options for the PSC. I asked their opinion and they were adamant it was not the appropriate thing and with that, the matter was automatically shelved.

He said after listening to the association, the sentiments expressed were taken back to Cabinet.

“I listened to my troops first and brought to Cabinet my recommendations. I did, however, recommend that there be a permanent CoP,” Griffith said.