THE EDITOR: For those of us who have spent decades in the business sector either in managerial and supervisory positions or as consultants reviewing, designing and/or advising on the restructuring of organisations - large and small - the now exposed absolutely shambolic arrangements for leave for an acting commissioner of police (CoP) come as no surprise. You see, we know that 'a camel is really a horse designed and built by a committee.'

In this case - the filling of the office of CoP - there is not just one committee but at least two and possibly three or four involved in one way or another. The result? Administrative and managerial confusion as to who has the power to do what with respect to the comings and goings of the CoP - acting or otherwise.

The major committee involved is the Police Service Commission, which does the preliminary selection and recommendation(s) and reviews the 'performance' of the CoP. Then there is the committee of Parliament which does the actual selection via prime ministerial recommendation.

And of course the way things work here there are probably, not formally but very much there, at least two more committees that may be involved in one way or another - the Cabinet and the National Security Council.

But in all of this there is no single identified individual, as you would have in a business - manager, head of department, permanent secretary, minister - to whom the CoP is accountable. In other words, the CoP has no boss.

And for those who don't know yet, this is exactly what was intended when the latest provisions were made for this post in the Constitution. It was deliberately intended that the post of CoP should be completely ring-fenced from political interference in any form. And this was emphasised with the constitutional provision:

'(1) Subject to section 123 (1), the Commissioner of Police shall have the complete power to manage the Police Service and is required to ensure that the human, financial and material resources available to the service are used in an efficient and effective manner.'

Excellent! No politician can tell the CoP what to do or who to target Great!

But for the CoP for routine, mundane and administrative matters like going on leave it should be abundantly plain and simple. Apply to your boss (administrative only) - end of text. And follow any associated instructions. Otherwise confusion and embarrassment to ministers of national security will emerge as it now does.

Any administrative streamlining should in no way impinge on the constitutional complete power of the CoP over the Police Service and the resources made available.

So who should be the CoP's (administrative) boss? The Minister of National Security? The President?

ASHTON S BRERETON

Champs Fleurs

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