Petition against Grant’s appointment as CoP

A PETITION went out last Friday opposing the appointment of John Grant to the post of Commissioner of Police, President of the Police Social and Welfare Committee, acting Insp Christopher Holder said yesterday.

Holder said the petition went to divisions of branches and sections in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS). He said he expects the petition to be out for about “a week or two” after which it will be sent to Prime Minister Patrick Manning. Holder said the association viewed the pending appointment as a retrograde step inimical to the best interest of the service as there were already two Deputy Commissioners of Police (Everald Snaggs and Trevor Paul) who are able, competent and suitable for the post of Commissioner. Both Paul and Snaggs refused to comment yesterday, but both have acted as Commissioner of Police on several occasions. Hilton Guy is expected to proceed on pre-retirement leave from either June or July.

Holder said he views the pending appointment as an affront and insult, since it was done without consultations with the major stakeholders. He also said such an appointment would only serve to stagnate the lower ranks right down but could open the “flood gates” to several other such appointments. “As an organisation we must be ever vigilant to ensure that not only Mr Grant is not appointed, but also no other appointments or extensions of a similar nature are contemplated or effected,” Holder said.