PM veto not a bad thing

Speaking with journalists at Piarco International Airport on Sunday, the Opposition Leader said the issue remains the key stumbling block to new anti-crime legislative talks between the Government and Opposition which are expected to resume soon.

Panday endorsed the position taken by UNC deputy leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar at a news conference last month — that Manning must give up his veto power over the appointments of public officials such as the Police Commissioner in order for the Government and Opposition to make headway on passing the Police Reform Bills in Parliament.

However, Panday claimed that Manning is the only prime minister in Trinidad and Tobago’s history who has threatened to abuse this power.

"The fact is that the prime minister has veto power. Yes, that has always been in the Constitution. This Prime Minister (Manning) has indicated that he will use his veto powers to oppress people, victimise them, get his own way.

Therefore, our argument has been that the veto power which the Prime Minister has over the Commissioner of Police has to be removed," Panday stated.

Identifying the manner in which persons are currently appointed to the Police Service Commission as the other potential snag which could derail Government-Opposition crime talks, Panday said he could not say if these issues would be resolved when the PNM and UNC meet before Parliament resumes its sittings on January 20. "Resolution depends on agreement," Panday added. At a January 5 post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Manning maintained that Government would hold fast to its position that the prime minister’s veto powers were "absolutely essential" for the appointment of the Police Commissioner and other heads of departments in the public sector.

The Prime Minister said he believed that a bipartisan team had reached a compromise on this issue by subjecting the proposed appointments to a resolution of Parliament.

Manning also said the Police Reform Bills will provide new arrangements for recruitment, training and the discipline of police officers, and thus set the stage for a proper reorganisation of the Police Service.