By Sue-Ann Wayow and Chanatlé Fletcher
THE payment to 19 people employed by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) whose contracts were terminated after the contracted period of former police commissioner Gary Griffith is “still underway.”
This was stated by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley in Parliament on Monday.
The Prime Minister in answering questions of the Opposition said, “Payment to the people whether for vacation or residual aspects of their contracts, that matter was still underway.”
When asked by Member of Parliament for Couva South Rudranath Indarsingh if all contracted positions have been filled, Dr Rowley said that the appropriate minister can provide that answer in the future.
Indarsingh also asked if monies were put aside to settle workers’ agreements to which Dr Rowley reminded him of millions paid in settlement agreements under the previous administration.
The Prime Minister retorted, “Twenty highly trained people in National Security were dismissed which cost the country millions of dollars but coming here today, to ask me about 19 people. I’m glad you’ve come alive.”
Firearms report
Indarsingh also asked about when the report regarding the investigation into the granting of Firearms User’s Licences by the TTPS will be brought to the Parliament.
That report and others form an exercise of National Security that were also currently underway and would move to a conclusion at the appropriate time, the Prime Minister said.
Dr Rowley also said there was no peculiarity in engaging the service of two persons hired by his office to conduct the investigation.
Indarsingh asked, “Could you inform the House whether the said persons who are hired through the Office of the Prime Minister has been previously engaged by the State during your tenure as Prime Minister to provide similar services to the State.”
Dr Rowley said, “I have no idea what he is speaking about. The two persons who were asked to provide public service pro bono were senior officers, one in the police service, and the other the Chief of Defence Staff and therefore they were on the government service at some time.
“There was no peculiarity of hiring with respect to any job other than where they were so, I don’t know why this matter was being misrepresented.”
