Govt to decide on motion

McDonald told Newsday she has spoken with Moonilal about holding a sitting on April 20 for the purpose of debating this motion which has been filed by Rowley.

McDonald said Moonilal informed her that “he has no problem with it but he needs to get authorisation.” Rowley has said the motion will give elected MPs the opportunity to bring “proper closure” to this issue. Sources said Moonilal is expected to seek this authorisation at today’s weekly Cabinet meeting which will be chaired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The Prime Minister is expected to arrive from Washington DC early this morning and chair the Cabinet meeting later in the day. When contacted yesterday, Moonilal was unable to say whether or not Government had made a decision about granting the Opposition’s request to debate Rowley’s motion in the House on April 20. “I have not seen such a motion as yet,” Moonilal said.

On Tuesday, the President disclosed that he has initiated the process for a new chairman of the PSC. Will be appointed under Section 122 of the Constitution, the President makes appointments to the PSC after consultation with the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader. Contacted late yesterday evening, Rowley confirmed the President’s statement that this process was underway.

While Government ponders the Opposition’s request and steps are being taken to appoint a new PSC chairman, there are also moves in certain legal circles for the President to revoke the appointments of PSC members Martin George, Kenneth Parker and Jacqueline Cheesman who held a news conference on Monday shortly after a release was issued by the Office of the President stating that Mohammed’s appointment had been revoked.

George, Parker, Chee-seman all distanced themselves from Mohammed’s comments about anethnic imbalance in the Police Service on March 25, when he made them to members of the Municipal and Service Commissions joint select committee in the Parliament Chamber of the Red House.

The trio sat next to Mohammed during that JSC meeting. The final member of the PSC, Addison Khan, did not attend Monday’s news conference.