PRIME MINISTER Dr Keith Rowley has evaded the serious question of whether there was collusion between any of his ministers and the chairman of the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PolSC) to remove Gary Griffith as police commissioner.
This was the claim made by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar in a release on Thursday.
She said the press conference called by Dr Rowley on that same day to deal with Covid-19 issues was a pathetic attempt to shift the national conversation away from the constitutional crisis the Government has created.
Persad-Bissessar said, “On the eve of Republic Day, with key institutions within our nation falling into disrepute, the Prime Minister evaded the serious question concerning the appearance of collusion between Government Ministers and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission to remove Gary Griffith as Acting Police Commissioner.”
She added, “Rowley instead announced a rollback of the 9 pm curfew without explaining who is legally authorised to sign the change of curfew hours. This would be comical if it also wasn’t so tragic for our democracy.
“The announcements made by the Prime Minister could easily have been made public next week or as is usually done, at the Ministry of Health’s Saturday media conference.
“Rowley is clearly in panic mode and knows full well that the stench of political interference involving the PolSC is emanating from his office.
“No lame attempt at distracting the public will mask the fact that the Government has now destroyed all public confidence in the PolSC in a blatant attempt to appoint a puppet Police Commissioner.”
Persad-Bissessar repeated her call for the remaining members of the PolSC to resign.
She also called for transparency and more so honesty on this grave matter facing the Police Service Commission, the Office of the President and the Office of the Commissioner.
