The Director of Personnel Administration (DPA) has appointed the National Insurance Property Development Co Ltd (Nipdec) to advertise internationally for a firm to recruit five possible commissioners of police.
This was disclosed in the Senate yesterday by Independent senator Subhas Ramkhelawan during his contribution to the debate on a bill to increase the 2012/2013 budget by $2.8 billion.
“I am advised we are at the stage where the DPA has appointed Nipdec to start the process of putting out international advertisements to recruit a firm which will go out and seek to get a shortlist for a commissioner of police”
“So the next stage of the process is to find a recruiter that will go and do the interviews and then come up with a shortlist of five persons who would be considered eligible for the position of Police Service commissioner.”
Ramkhelawan said this was only the second stage of a five-part process to select a commissioner of police.
“This is where have we reached in the permanent appointment or replacement of a commissioner of police.”
He made the disclosure as he criticised the length of time it has been taking to appoint a permament commissioner of police, which he said is essential in increasing efficiency in the fight against crime.
Ramkhelawan said since the new Police Service Act of 2007, there had been only one permanent commissioner of police (Canadian Dwayne Gibbs), and that was given by contract.
The Police Service Commission in July 2012 appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams to act as CoP after Gibbs resigned. Ramkhelawan said almost a year has gone by since Williams was appointed to act.
The Police Service Comission has not yet been enjoined in this process of selecting a commissioner of police, he said. That happens only after the commission is presented with the shortlist of possible commissioners.
“The PSC is supposed to make a recommendation for an appointment, through the President, to the Lower House, but that has not happened as yet.
“Only when the shortlist is prepared, it goes to the PSC. Then the PSC selects one of the five people and recommends him to the President, who sends it to the Lower House to vote upon.”