THE law firm headed by Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein is representing a client who has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain details of any recent assessments conducted on Commissioner of Police (CoP) Erla Harewood-Christopher.
This request was submitted to the Police Service Commission (PSC) on Monday by attorney Samantha Singh-Poona of Saddam Hosein and Co., on behalf of Labiba Aziza Mohammed of Cunupia.
The letter outlines the context of Harewood-Christopher’s initial appointment as CoP and the subsequent extension of her service.
It noted that on February 3, 2023, the House of Representatives approved the President’s notification of the PSC’s nomination of Harewood-Christopher for the CoP position. According to her age, she was due to retire on May 15, 2023, but her service was extended for a year under Legal Notice 149 of 2023, in accordance with the Police Service Act.
On May 13, during a House session, Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC, assured Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh that a decision on Harewood-Christopher’s future would be made within a day. Hours later, the Office of the Prime Minister announced that Cabinet had extended her service for another year, effective May 15.
The letter references media reports from a May 16 post-Cabinet briefing where acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert stated that the PSC had reviewed Harewood-Christopher’s performance for March 2023 and February 2024. According to Imbert, the PSC conducted an assessment and evaluation report, grading her performance as “good” in various administrative and policing categories.
Despite this, the letter highlights adverse reactions from several business leaders. Fyzabad Chamber of Commerce president Angie Jairam remarked, “It is appalling to have a failing police commissioner reappointed.”
San Fernando Business Association president Daphne Bartlett expressed disappointment, citing a high crime rate that had many business owners considering migration. Emerson Chadee, president of the Siparia Chamber of Commerce, lamented, “The whole country is in a state of bewilderment and trepidation owing to the commissioner’s extension.”
The letter also quotes Justice Frank Seepersad, who criticised the CoP over delays in processing a firearm user’s licence for a Tobagonian businessman.
The letter stated, “Upon noting the contents of these newspaper articles, juxtaposed with the unacceptable escalation of criminal activity in Trinidad and Tobago, our client as a concerned citizen has expressed shock on learning of Cabinet’s decision to extend the service of Mrs. Erla Harewood-Christopher.”
It stated, “Our client remains baffled, bewildered, and befuddled that the PSC gave Mrs. Harewood-Christopher a ‘good rating.'”
The FOIA request seeks “a copy of the annual performance appraisal report and/or evaluation and/or assessment of Mrs. Erla Harewood-Christopher, CoP, that was conducted for the period 2023-2024,” as well as the date of any such appraisal, evaluation, or assessment.
The law firm expects the request to be handled expeditiously, in line with section 15 of the FOIA, which requires public authorities to notify applicants of the approval or refusal of their requests within 30 days.
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