THE EDITOR: The situation of having a commissioner of police duly selected but not affirmed by Parliament has not been resolved. Instead of having complete constitutional alteration, the matter can be fixed by amending the Constitution where the appointment is final once it has been endorsed by the President.
This would be effected by the lesser constitutional majority as it does not alter fundamental rights. A change like this would then place the Police Commissioner accountable at law to anyone with standing, whether in the structures of government and the police organisations or among the public at large, etc.
In the meantime all the rushed activity has only served to perpetuate the flaw and distract from issues to do with confidence in the Attorney General. It seems to say an AG is beyond rule of law once he says "not intended" and "nothing suspicious;" where he can cause others to be joined or implicated with impunity.
This confidence area speaks as well to the animations expressed in words, deeds and omissions, particularly by the Prime Minister and the President, upon which the Police Service Commission became unravelled.
It could be that in the instant debacle it was the President, maybe to her credit, who insisted the non-approval needed to be addressed. In that case, however, there was no basis for the whole resignation of the commission. And, in addition, the flaw reigns still as does the AG. The PM's explanation that no-one is isolated has - further - no merit and no bearing, in answer.
E GALY
via e-mail
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