Chandresh: Let UTT handle police exams

The recommendation was made by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Chandresh Sharma during yesterday morning’s Joint Select Committee meeting at the Red House. Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Christopher Thomas agreed that it was an "excellent idea," and promised that it would be given serious consideration.

Representatives of the PSC and senior officers of the Police Service reported to the committee, which was chaired by Independent Senator Prof Ramesh Deosaran and attended by Sharma, Opposition Senator Roy Augustus, Opposition MP Nizam Baksh and Senator Christine Kangalloo.

Both groups were quizzed and "lectured" on the recruitment process of officers, the unwillingness of officers to diligently investigate and prosecute fellow officers allegedly involved in illegal activities, the operational strength of officers in the country, the implementation of community policing and performance appraisals.

According to Thomas, there are more than 6,000 police officers in this country. However, considering the number of officers who were on vacation, sick leave, study leave and suspension, the operational strength amounted to a little more than 5,000, he said.

Regarding the issue of recruitment, Commissioner of Police Trevor Paul said the selection process began with a preliminary physical examination and went through several stages, with the interview being the final. It was from the list of candidates who qualified to this stage that vacancies were filled.

The CoP said the main problem with the process with recruiting the best was that "the best are not coming forward" to apply.

Thomas added that while everything was being done to create transparency in the recruitment process, there still remained the spectrum of nepotism.

Thomas said the commission had requested a report from the CoP on the issue of officers who delayed investigations and deliberately absented themselves from giving evidence during preliminary inquiries or trials of fellow officers allegedly involved in illegal activities, in the hope that the charges would be dismissed.

He said the existing merit system did not appear to be working and a new system was introduced by the CPO. However, he added, it had not yet been implemented.