PM wrong to have CoP letter — lawyer

SAN FERNANDO-based attorney Anand Ramlogan has called on chairman of the Public Services Commission (PSC) Kenneth Lalla SC, to clear the air on what he described as the “mystery” of how Prime Minister Patrick Manning came into possession of the letter of appointment of Everald Snaggs as Commissioner of Police. Manning last week personally handed Commissioner Snaggs his appointment letter at Whitehall, an act which Lalla himself has described as unprecedented. The Police Services Commission appoints all members of the police service including the Commissioner of Police. Ramlogan said that Manning’s act came on the heels of Justice David Myers’ ruling last week in the case filed by two policemen, in which the judge chastised the executive for trespassing “on the functioning of the Independent Services Commissions.”

“What is astounding is that the Prime Minister has abrogated upon himself the powers to appoint the Commissioner of Police, which only the PSC has the power to do,” Ramlogan said. Ramlogan said that Manning’s act was reminiscent of the days when the mayor of the town appointed the sheriff. Ramlogan, who was one of the attorneys in the police case in which the judge called upon the executive to allow the commissions to operate independently, accused the Prime Minister of compromising the independence of the commission. Ramlogan said that Lalla must now clear the air and not sweep it under the carpet, by simply explaining to the country how the letter was leaked. “Merely saying that the action of the Prime Minister was without precedent, is not enough,” Ramlogan added.