Appoint Snaggs as CoP now

THE Police Service Commission (PSC) has written to Prime Minister Patrick Manning recommending Everald Snaggs to be Commissioner of Police. Newsday was informed yesterday that the Commission decided two weeks ago to write to the Prime Minister, asking that the vacant post of Commissioner of Police be filled by Snaggs as soon as possible. The PSC’s letter was sent to the Prime Minister days before he departed for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference in Abuja, Nigeria.

However, a Whitehall official told Newsday yesterday that the Prime Minister plans to deal with the matter when he returns to office next week. Section 123 (3) of the Constitution states: “Before the Police Service Commission makes an appointment to the office of Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of Police, it shall consult the Prime Minister, and a person shall not be appointed to such an office if the Prime Minister signifies to the Police Service Commission his objection to the appointment of that person to such an office.” The members of the PSC took the decision to recommend Snaggs at their last meeting in November.

The PSC members are Kenneth Lalla SC, Trevor Gomez, Dr Marjorie Thorpe, Laila Valere, and Leela Ramdeen. Snaggs has been acting as Commissioner of Police since Hilton Guy went on pre-retirement leave on July 15, 2002. If Snaggs is appointed as Commissioner, it will not be for long. He is due to officially retire from the Police Service on July 15, 2004. If he works right up to his retirement, he will proceed on pre-retirement leave in May as he has two months’ vacation. Snaggs joined the Police Service on May 6, 1963. He was promoted to Corporal in February 1971 and two years later, he was made a Sergeant. In 1978, Snaggs was promoted to Inspector. Four years later, he was made an Assistant Superintendent and a Superintendent in 1987. Two years later, he became a Senior Superintendent. Snaggs, who spent some time in charge of the Mounted Branch, was elevated to Assistant Commissioner in 1992 and Deputy Commissioner in 1998.

He has acted as Commissioner on numerous occasions when Guy was out of the country or on vacation. Although Snaggs’ stint in the hot seat may not be for long, the Government can agree to an extension for a period of up to three years. The Police Service Act was amended in 1997 during the UNC administration to allow Kenny Mohammed to remain in the Commissioner’s chair past his 60th birthday so that Mohammed’s anti-crime initiatives could be put into effect.  Mohammed remained in office for an extended one-year period. The Cabinet took a decision on July 10, 1997 to extend Mohammed’s tenure. But sources say it is unlikely that Manning would agree to an extension for Snaggs past July 2004. The Prime Minister, according to reports, favours newly-promoted Assistant Commissioner James Philbert, who spent years as Head of the Homicide Bureau.