The Office of President Anthony Carmona says the vacancy of deputy director at the Police Complaints Authority has not yet been filled because neither the Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley or Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar submitted any recommendations for the post.
In a statement sent yesterday by communications adviser to the President, Theron Boodan noted that the director and deputy director of the PCA are not appointed on the sole discretion of the President but instead are appointed as a result of joint advice from the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition in accordance with section 6(1) of the Police Complaints Authority Act.
It’s been exactly one month since the deputy director Andrew Stroude resigned to pick up a post as a member of the Industrial Court but so far the Office of the President has been unable to fill the vacancy.
Boodan said Stroude’s letter of resignation took effect from May 8 and on the same day of his resignation, the Office of the President sent a dispatch to Rowley and Persad-Bissessar informing them of the vacancy.
“President Anthony Carmona dispatched a letter to both the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition informing them of Mr Stroude’s resignation and the requirement of section 6(1) of the Police Complaints Authority Act, for joint consultation. We did what was necessary and we now await recommendations from both parties,” Boodan said.
According to the PCA Act Section 6:1, the deputy director to be appointed by the President on the joint advice of the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition. The person appointed as a deputy director must have at least 10 years experience as an attorney-at-law and can be appointed from within the Commonwealth.
“Both parties are required to submit recommendations to the President and following consultation, the appointment is finalised,” Boodan said.
In the meantime, all PCA investigations about police corruption and malpractice have been put on hold.
On Wednesday, Director of the PCA David West said that the three recent police killings of Daniel Paul, 28, of Ste Madeleine, Raymond Joseph, 51, of Mahaica Road, Point Fortin on April 1 and Paul Marchan on March 16 in Diego Martin, cannot be investigated unless a deputy director was appointed.
Paul was shot dead for throwing stones last Monday. On April 1, Joseph was shot after he allegedly attempted to grab the gun of a municipal police officer who had assisted in taking him to the Area Hospital. On March 16, Marchan, 30, was shot dead by officers of the Western Division Task Force who responded to reports he was acting in a deranged manner.
West said while the PCA is continuing to receive complaints, no investigations can be done.
Stroude, a former magistrate, was appointed for a five year term as deputy director of the PCA in March last year. However, ten months after he accepted the appointment, Stroude was appointed as a member of the Industrial Court, following a Cabinet decision in December.
