Promoted cop blanked by Judge

Justice Frank Seepersad, presiding in the San Fernando High Court, ruled that the public interest would not be served by revealing such personal information of other police officers. Especially, the judge added, where the police officer who is seeking said declaration has already gotten his 35 points when the State conceded in his lawsuit, that he should have been so awarded by virtue of the fact that he earned a Bachelor of Law degree.

Corporal Ramdeo Sookdeo was therefore promoted to the rank of Sergeant following a Consent Order entered to by the State in the lawsuit he filed over the failure of the Police Commissioner to promote him on the basis of his law degree.

Sookdeo filed the lawsuit when his name did not appear on the list for promotion.

His attorneys contended in the lawsuit that Sookdeo was entitled to the promotion but also should have been provided a certified copy of the complete list as well as the points awarded to all eligible officers. The State conceded and awarded Sookdeo the points and he was retroactively promoted with effect from April last year.

The State also conceded that Sookdeo should be paid all outstanding salaries due by virtue of the retroactive appointment.

However, the State did not agree with Sookdeo’s attorneys’ submissions that it had a duty to provide him with the list and inclusive of the points awarded to all eligible officers named on the list.

Justice Seepersad delivered a written judgement yesterday that it was unreasonable to disclose the points the officer’s colleagues obtained. The judge stated that in making such a determination, the question must be asked whether the public interest overrode the right of privacy of other officers and the relevance of disclosing that information in resolving the issue in Sookdeo’s case.