A THIRD member of the Police Service Commission (PSC) has resigned as the imbroglio involving the appointment of a police commissioner remains mired in controversy.
On Monday, President Paula-Mae Weekes announced the resignation of attorney Roger Kawalsingh with immediate effect.
A brief release from the Office of the President said Kawalsingh’s resignation was accepted.
It followed the resignations of Dr Susan Craig-James on Friday and industrial relations consultant Courtney McNish last Wednesday. The only member of the commission to remain is its chairman, Bliss Seepersad.
Questions were sent to her on WhatsApp but there was no response up to late evening.
Kawalsingh also did not respond to a request for comment.
In announcing Craig-James’s resignation on Saturday, the Office of the President said the commission now stood inquorate. It also said the President’s Office will make every effort to fill the three vacancies at the soonest opportunity.
This now cripples any further action by the PSC, as it does not have a quorum to make decisions.
Legal challenge to
Griffith acting as CoP
This issue was raised in court by former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, SC, on Monday, in a challenge which questions the legality of Griffith’s acting appointment.
Ramlogan questioned from whom the PSC’s attorneys were receiving instructions in the interpretation claim brought by social activist Ravi Balgobin-Maharaj, whom he represents.
Over the weekend, it was reported that the President wrote to Kawalsingh seeking an explanation for his decision to copy Griffith on an e-mail objecting to the chairman's decision to suspend Griffith on September 17.
The three commission members reportedly objected to the chairman’s decision to suspend Griffith from duty pending the outcome of an investigation by retired judge Stanley John.
[caption id="attachment_915563" align="alignnone" width="1024"] GONE: Susan Craig-James with President Paula-Mae Weekes after she was appointed a PSC commissioner on June 8, 2018. - Office of the President[/caption]
John was probing allegations of corruption in the granting of firearm user's licences and possible interference in an investigation against Christian Chandler, the head of the police service legal unit.
On Saturday Griffith shared a copy of a letter from Seepersad, dated September 23, which withdrew his notice of suspension on the basis of his voluntarily going on leave pending the outcome of the John probe. He says that means he remains the acting CoP while on leave.
Griffith’s appointment as acting CoP came after his three-year contract ended on August 17. The law was changed by Legal Notice 183 of 2021, allowing him to be selected as acting top cop although his stint had come to an end.
The Prime Minister has described the change in the law, which his administration approved, as "an error."
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said on Sunday that s
