Former commissioner of police Gary Griffith says anyone interested in being part of his new political party, the National Transformation Alliance (NTA), must be prepared to work and serve their country, not serve themselves.
On April 30, he launched the political entity on social media and says it has already attracted hundreds of supporters. The event took place the day before the Progressive Democratic Patriots, led by Watson Duke, had a glitzy affair at the Hyatt hotel to unveil the leadership of the Trinidad arm of the party, whose Tobago branch trounced the PNM in the December THA elections 14-one.
Griffith served as CoP from August 2018-August 2021, as a national security adviser, government senator, opposition senator and national security minister at different times under the People's Partnership (PP) coalition between May 2010 and February 2015.
He previously served in the Defence Force for 15 years, reaching the rank of captain, and has a master's in security management from the Department of Criminology at the University of Leicester, United Kingdom.
Griffith told Sunday Newsday he served his country well and was living “comfortably enough,” even though there were 33 death threats against him and his family while he served as CoP. He said he does not need the stress, so there was no need for him to go back into active politics.
But he said he wanted to continue to serve TT and improve it, so he launched the NTA.
“The only reason I’ve done so was because of the massive amount of support and request from people wanting me to continue to serve my country. That was the reason I reapplied for commissioner, as well.”
He said many citizens have given up hope in the two current major political parties, so they migrated, and do not bother to vote, or vote for “the lesser of two evils.”
Griffith said “most of the political parties” use corruption, incompetence, mismanagement, racism, division, hatred, bitterness, victimisation and other negative traits to try to win.
He has seen leaders mocking, imitating idiosyncrasies and promoting rumours about their opponents. And despite his reputation for attacking people on social media for criticising him while he was CoP, he said the party does not intend to attack, demonise, destroy or discredit political opponents.
Instead, he said the NTA has the political will to turn that around and find solutions.
He said he would get the best minds – citizens, at home and abroad – who want to contribute and create a proper roadmap and policies to meet the needs of the population and improve lives.
“That is why the word 'transformation' is in the name of this party. We’re going to transform the country.”
He said he transformed the Ministry of National Security when he was a minister and “drastically reduced crime” as CoP, and it was not coincidental that crime spiked when he left the commissioner's post.
“Because I know what to do, and it’s based on leadership.”
He said prime ministers tend to believe they are the “be-all and end-all” in decisions on
