PM, Joseph hold CoP talks

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning said he and National Security Minister Martin Joseph have already discussed who will replace Everald Snaggs as Police Commissioner when he retires on July 15. Fielding questions at a public forum at the Maha Sabha’s St Augustine headquarters on Wednesday night, the Prime Minister dismissed UNC claims that the PNM was trying to appoint a political agent as top cop when Snaggs retired. However Manning declined to say whether this was an endorsement of acting CoP Trevor Paul for the job. Prime Minister Manning said fears that the proposed Police Management Authority would be subject to the whims and fancies of politicians were unfounded. He explained that members of the Authority would be selected by the President, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition. Manning added that if the latter two did not agree, the President could exercise his own discretion in making appointments and such a scenario was not unheard of in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Prime Minister said once appointed the Authority could not be fired by the Government “except through due process.”  He said the manner in which the Authority could remove a senior officer, including the Police Commissioner, would be similar to what the Police Service Commission does right now, and police officers could seek redress from the Public Services Appeals Board. Manning also revealed that there was a fourth Police Bill, which deals with the necessary regulations to effect the other three Bills, which will be effected once the primary Bills are passed in Parliament.  He added that the management problems plaguing the Police Service were similar to situations in other English-speaking Caribbean countries and these countries would be closely monitoring the events of June 29, when the Bills are debated in Parliament. The Prime Minister said he had no evidence that President George Maxwell Richards has displayed political bias on any matter.