Panday blames Robinson for Police reform failure

OPPOSITION LEADER Basdeo Panday said the UNC knew the Police Reform Bills needed constitutional reform in order to work but former president Arthur NR Robinson removed the UNC from office, and installed Patrick Manning and the PNM, before the UNC had a chance to initiate constitutional reform. Panday told Newsday yesterday that this was the reason why the former government never passed the Bills and the UNC never reneged on an agreement with the PNM to pass the Bills in Parliament. Panday has called for urgent talks with Prime Minister Patrick Manning about the level of crime in Trinidad and Tobago and said the issue of crime hinged upon constitutional reform.
 
Panday said the Police Reform Bills alone could not solve crime and must be part of constitutional reform in the country. Prior to the 2000 general elections, the then UNC government and PNM opposition agreed that regardless of whoever won those elections, the Bills would be passed in Parliament. The Bills were drafted in the same year by a non-partisan committee headed by former president Sir Ellis Clarke, following the recommendations of a Commission of Inquiry into the escape of drug lord Deochan Ramdhanie from the Princes Town Magistrate’s Court and an initiative by then Opposition Leader Patrick Manning for Government and Opposition to reform the Police Service in order to effectively deal with crime. The UNC won the 2000 elections but the Bills were never passed in Parliament. Panday said the longstanding public perception that the UNC never honoured that agreement was not true and the party was not to blame for the Bills not being passed. The former prime minister explained that the UNC “demitted office” before it could initiate constitutional reform and placed the blame squarely on Robinson’s shoulders. He also hinted that the actions of former UNC government ministers Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, Trevor Sudama and Ralph Maraj during that period also factored into the equation. The Prime Minister has repeatedly said the UNC’s non-co-operation on Police reform legislation is hampering Government’s efforts to deal with crime.

Panday reiterated that given the “abuse of power” displayed by the PNM since regaining power in 2001, the ruling party cannot be trusted to govern fairly without constitutional reform. He said former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani supported the UNC’s longstanding position that only through constitutional reform, could the Police Service be made accountable on the issue of crime. He explained that under the present Constitution, the Police Commissioner cannot be made accountable for his performance. Panday added that the only mechanism to deal with the top cop’s competency is the Police Service Commission and “that does not work.”  The UNC leader said Giuliani was able to root out corruption from within the ranks of the New York Police Department and lamented that similar actions have not been taken to date in TT.