FORMER police commissioner Gary Griffith has trained his guns once again on former Police Service Commission (PSC) chairman Bliss Seepersad over the withdrawal of the merit list.

Griffith has filed a misfeasance in public office claim against Seepersad. Newsday understands the matter has not yet been assigned to a judge but the State has entered an appearance for her despite her being sued in a personal capacity.

In his lawsuit, Griffith contends Seepersad’s actions prevented him from returning as top cop in 2021.

Seepersad was appointed PSC chairman in March 2018 and resigned in September 2021, during a fallout over the bungling of Griffith’s appointment and then suspension as acting commissioner.

Griffith was appointed commissioner of police on August 6, 2018, and was suspended by the Seepersad-led commission that month. She was the last of the four members to resign over Griffith’s suspension.

Other members Courtney McNish, Dr Susan Craig-James and Roger Kawalsingh resigned after alleging Seepersad acted alone in suspending Griffith.

Griffith’s lawsuit said at all times, Seepersad, as chairman, knew a quorum required there be four other members, plus the chairman, to perform official acts.

“At trial, the claimant will maintain that action taken otherwise, without such a number of commissioners or, by the chairman alone, would be null, void, unconstitutional, unlawful and a breach of the duties of one’s office.”

On the merit list issue, his lawsuit contended that section 123 of the Constitution did not give Seepersad, the president, or the prime minister, the power to withdraw an order of merit list once submitted to the Office of the President.

It said by withdrawing the merit list, and from minutes of the meetings of the PSC, which he obtained from freedom of information requests, it was “apparent” that Seepersad acted unlawfully and without authority since she “never obtained the approval of the PSC.”

“At trial, the claimant will maintain that in so withdrawing the merit list the defendant knowingly acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally or so acted with reckless disregard for the limits on her power and the effect and harm that her actions would have on the professional reputation and interest of the claimant.

The same allegation was made against Seepersad on Griffith’s suspension.

The former top cop’s lawsuit contended that Seepersad’s actions withdrawal of the merit list, on which he was the top-ranked candidate and her “unilateral and unlawful suspension” of him, resulted in “grave and extensive harm” to him as he lost the opportunity to be appointed commissioner for another three years.

Seepersad was further accused of knowingly abusing her public power with reckless indifference to the limits or restraints on her power or authority.

[caption id="attachment_916244" align="aligncenter" width="357"] Former PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad. -[/caption]

“When she committed her unlawful acts, she either had the intention of harming the claimant or committed her unlawful acts with a