FORMER Police Commissioner Gary Griffith has agreed to 'step aside' for the Police Service Commission (PSC) to conduct its investigations.
Newsday was told that Griffith was "not resigning," but has agreed to go on voluntary leave to facilitate the investigation. It was also agreed that the PSC will rescind its August 17, notice of suspension.
This follows intense discussions between Griffith's attorneys and the PSC on Thursday.
Griffith also publicly said he would be willing to stand down to facilitate the investigation.
In a public post on Facebook, Griffith also said it was never about him. "This is not about me. I never wanted, nor will I ever, want a job to the point that I am prepared to damage the country of Trinidad and Tobago to get it."
He is also expected to make a comprehensive statement on Saturday at a press conference at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain at noon.
An invitation from the police service's communications unit said both Griffith and acting commissioner McDonald Jacob will be present. Both men were referred to by the prefix "Mr" and not their designations in the police service.
Griffith was appointed to act as commission from August 17, when his three-year contract ended. Government has since been advised by retired judge, Justice Rolson Nelson that this appointment was unlawful since it required parliamentary approval. The acting of appointment of McDonald Jacob was lawful, Nelson suggested, since he already serves in the ranks of the police service.
The Prime Minister also admitted to the error during a post-Cabinet press briefing on Thursday, and the government is now drafting an amendment to Legal Notice 183 and intends to convene Parliament shortly to fix the error.
Griffith's suspension was on the basis of the investigation initiated by the PSC on September 1, headed by retired Justice of Appeal Stanley John, into allegations of corruption in the issuance of firearm user’s licences; and the police handling of an incident at sea involving Christian Chandler, the head of the legal unit in the police service.
Chandler has been sent on leave and the office of the DPP is working with the police on the criminal probe.
Griffith was expected to resume duty on September 21, but was put on suspension. He then took the PSC to court after the PSC missed a noon deadline to rescind the notice.
Since Griffith's suspension two Fridays ago, one member of the PSC, industrial relations consultant Courtney McNish, resigned. He was said to be unhappy with the procedure used to issue the suspension notice.
Fellow PSC member, Dr. Susan Craig-James, has also reportedly spoken of the way in which the suspension was handled. In an e-mail to PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad, Craig-James suggested that the decision to suspend Griffith was unilaterally made by the chairman who ignored the advice of the other members to speak with Griffith and ask him to step aside. PSC member Roger Kawalsingh also wrote to the chairman in an internal e-mail which was made public, also sp
