Snaggs is Commissioner

IT is official, as of 4.15 pm yesterday, acting Commissioner of Police Everard Snaggs was officially appointed Com-missioner.

In a brief seven-minute ceremony held at the Prime Minister’s office at White-hall, Prime Minister Patrick Manning made the pronouncement to the media and handed the new Commissioner of Police his Letter of Appointment. The Letter of Appointment was backdated to July 15, 2003, when he actually took office following the retirement of former Commissioner, Hilton Guy. The PM also carefully explained he was not against the appointment of Snaggs as Commissioner based on the recommendation of the Police Service Commission.

Manning heaped praises on the new Commissioner for his stewardship of the Police Service under his tenure and “returning TT to an acceptable level of security.” He further commented that the country was pleased that a lot has been achieved under his stewardship.

Without adding anything else to his statements the PM left and handed the function over to the new Commissioner and Minister of National Security, Senator Martin Joseph. Newsday had exclusively reported in its December 12 issue that since November the PSC had written PM Manning asking for Snaggs to be appointed Commissioner based on Section 123(3) of the Consti-tution where they collectively took the decision to recommend him.

Brimming with pride in his acceptance speech, new Commissioner of Police Snaggs said he was happy to be appointed and was extremely pleased to receive his letter of appointment from the Prime Minister, which showed that the PM has a lot of confidence in him. He also indicated to media that he was very much up to the challenge since he has acted 28 times since 1998.

The new Commissioner however shied away from questions about whether the Special Anti-Crime Unit had started operating. “While that question should be asked and answered at a different forum, I must say people should not be concentrating on who the unit should report to, but what are the results. The Government has the authority to use any initiative to fight crime.” Minister of National Security, Martin Joseph,  who quickly interjected that he was no authority on crime, also heaped praises on the new Commissioner and spoke in glowing terms of the Joint Army /Police patrols and SRPs that were ever present over the last two weeks.

Joseph invited the media to a press conference on Friday at the Ministry’s office where all the heads of different relevant departments, Commissioner of Police, Brigadier Peter Joseph head of the Special Anti Crime Unit, Chief of Defence Staff Ancil Antoine will report on their plans for 2004. Joseph also told the media following the report, that a new programme will be put in place until February 29 which will be reviewed and looked at before the next phase is put in place.