Former head of the Public Service Reginald Dumas says he will review the contributions made by MPs and ministers during last Wednesday’s debate on motions to approve President Anthony Carmona’s four nominations to the Police Service Commission. Dumas told the T&T Guardian on Friday that he will look at the contributions, review them, seek advice and then determine his next course of action.
Weeks before the debate, Dumas had said he was committed to taking legal action as he believed two of the nominees, Roamar Achat-Saney and former Independent senator Dr James Armstrong, did not meet specific constitutional requirements for appointment to the commission.
However, during Wednesday’s debate in Parliament after the motions were presented by House leader, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal, all the nominees—attorneys Martin George, Addison Khan and Achat-Saney and Armstrong—were approved despite objections from the Opposition, including Jack Warner of the Independent Liberal Party.
Dumas’ attorney, Karl Hudson-Phillips, QC, wrote to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan recently, advising against proceeding with the motions approving the nomination of Achat-Saney and Armstrong as they did not meet the constitutional requirement. This position was endorsed and expressed by Opposition MPs during the debate. But Ramlogan dismissed that claim in his contribution to the short debate.
No date has been set for the swearing-in of the new members of the PSC. The term of the former members expired on July 20 and the commission has been unable to function since then. The PSC reviews the performance of the commissioner of police and the deputy commissioners. It also determines appeals from police officers on matters of discipline and promotion. There are hundreds of such matters pending before the commission.
Criminologist and former Independent senator Professor Ramesh Deosaran is the PSC chairman. His three-year term expires in six months.