By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE Opposition cannot make up their minds as to what they want regarding the selection of the new members of the Police Service Commission (PolSC) says Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
He said on Saturday, “The Opposition needs to decide which side of their mouth they are talking from.”
Dr Rowley was speaking at a press conference following his return from the United Kingdom UK, a visit that was criticised by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar who said Dr Rowley was vacationing in Scotland.
“You cannot be talking from both sides of your neck if you on one breath saying that the President must not move expeditiously to find quality people who will agree to serve on the Commission,” he said.
He said he remembered clearly the Opposition Leader having an issue with President Paula-Mae Weekes speedy selection of the five nominees for the PSC after the previous four members all resigned.
Dr Rowley said, “The government did say that we will move with dispatch as soon as the President informed the Parliament, and we will do that.”
He said, “You cannot be saying that the President should not move with haste to find people and then one week later in your idleness, saying the Government shouldn’t go to an international conference like this and not stay home and go to Parliament to do the very said thing that they say the President is doing too fast.”
Dr Rowley could not say if the five names would be debated at once in Parliament on Wednesday as it was a matter for the leader of government business and the opposition to decide.
“The President is satisfied that she has found five citizens who she could advance to the Parliament, those names are in the Parliament. As soon as the names got there, the leader of government business asked that it be put on the order paper, a sitting of Parliament has been set for Wednesday, we will go to Parliament and we will treat with it,” he said.
He added, “There is absolutely nothing to lose any sleep over or to be upset over unless of course, you belong to that group who thinks that nothing should go right.”
The five persons nominated by the President for PSC positions are retired high court judge Judith Jones, management consultant Maxine Attong, chartered accountant Maxine King, criminologist Ian Ramdhanie and attorney Rajiv Persad.
