The promotion of several police officers continues to hang in the balance as the government has said it will not accept the promotion list of the Police Service Commission.
The list was released yesterday after Chief Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire dismissed the case filed by Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus.
However, attorney General Anil Nandlall in a statement said the promotion list released by the commission was following the decision of the court was illegal and unlawful.
“The attempt of the Police Service Commission, therefore, to countermand, disobey and disregard the President’s decision, not only amounts to an effrontery to the highest executive office in this land but is simply absurd. If anyone had any doubts about the independence and rectitude of this grouping who constitute the Police Service Commission, those doubts should now be put to rest” Nandlall said.
Attorney, Selwyn Pieters who is representing the commission, in a letter to President Ali, said the commission will continue to carry out its functions as the president’s decision to discharge the functions of the commission was unlawful and illegal.
“It is clear from the provisions that Your Excellency’s purported suspension of the Chairman and other members of the Commission is contrary to the constitution in two respects; first, because the question of removal from office has not yet “been referred to a tribunal”, and second, because, for all members other than the chairman, you have not acted “in accordance with the advice of the prescribed authority” with respect to the suspensions,” Pieters said in his letter to Ali.
Chief Roxanne George Wiltshire in her ruling said “It cannot be for the court to usurp the power of the Commission and direct that the Commission appoints the applicants to the post recommended by the Commission (of Police). To do so would necessitate the court in engaging in a full investigation of all issues regarding all officers that may be affected. This is not the function of the court”, the Chief Justice said in her ruling.
According to the Chief Justice, the application brought to the court exposed the deep-seated issues that exist in the hierarchy of the force which does not bode well for its image publicly.
“The Commission as an entity established by and subject to the constitution must endeavor to uphold article 142, thus I cannot agree with the submissions on behalf of the challenged officers that the Commission has no control over the conduct of the disciplinary proceedings that it delegated. It is ultimately answerable for the progress of any such proceedings and must guide their expeditious progress,” the Chief Justice pointed out.
Days before the Chief Justice was scheduled, President Ali suspended the entire Police Service Commission. Some have said that Government.
According to the list released by the commission, six officers have been promoted to the post of Assistant Police Commissioners, Ravindradat Budhram, Errol Watts, Wendell Blanhum, Edmond Cooper, Philip Azore, and Kurleigh Simon.
Senior Superintendent Brutus moved to the court challenging commission on the list after he was not among the officers promoted.
The suspect was told of the offences committed, cautioned and arrested. The firearm and ammunition were marked, sealed and lodged at the Springlands Police Station.
