PSC: Bills will politicise the Police Service

THE Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday said the proposed Constitution (Amendment) Bill and the Police Service Bill, would leave the way open for the politicisation of the police service. It  called for improvements in the service to be done in a wise manner. The five-member Commission yesterday held a press conference at the Service Commissions Department, Cyril Duprey Building, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, to discuss its 2002 annual report. That report was handed in to President George Maxwell Richards last week.

Chairman of the Commission, Kenneth Lalla, said the report was delayed because of  “constraints in the process.” He said the report was usually due by October of each year and work on the 2003 Report was ongoing. Lalla in a statement said the proposed Police Bills due to be debated in the Senate on June 29, would reinstate the Promotion Advisory Board in the Police Service, which was abolished in 1995. He said there were concerns that if the Board is re-introduced, “there may well be a resuscitation of widespread dissatisfaction among police officers.” He said the Bills will “leave the way open to politicise the Police Service by placing it under the control and direction of the Executive.” Lalla said members of the Second Division of the Police Service had criticised the Board saying it was “inefficient, slow, discriminatory and sometimes corrupt.”

Lalla also said the proposed Police Management Authority (PMA) to replace the PSC, would not in his view be independent. “Its members will be required to act in accordance with the Police Service Bill ... and will be insubordinate to the Constitution and may be amended at the whim of the Executive at any time by virtue of its majority of Parliament.” He added that the PMA would be an “instrument of the Executive, contrary to the careful provisions of the Independence and Republican Constitutions.” He said he was unaware that the Second Division officers were in support of the PMA. Lalla said it was common in countries that aspire to the Westminster system of Government that the Police Service be “insulated from any vagaries that might derive where there is a change in the Executive branch of Government.” He said that was reason for the existence of Service Commissions in most parts of the world.

Government needs a special majority to pass the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to replace the PSC. Lalla said while he supported efforts to improve the system, it must be done “wisely with all the relevant information and in a manner consistent with healthy democracy.” Asked if the comments of the PSC were ever sought on the Bills, Lalla said their comments were given very early and circulated to all Members of Parliament. He said whether it was read or not, he did not know. But he was adamant that their views were “concretised” for public information and was not in a secret document.