National Security Minister Carl Alfonso yesterday endorsed acting Police Commissioner Ann Marie Alleyne-Daly’s apology to the public for yesterday’s traffic disruptions due to police roadblocks. He also said he did not think the police had deliberately set out to mount the roadblocks to put pressure on Government over the stalled wage negotiations with the CPO.
Speaking at a media briefing following yesterday’s weekly Cabinet-sub committee meeting, Alfonso, who had been monitoring the issue since early yesterday, also corrected erroneous reports that he had told “officers to stand down” and stop the roadblocks. Alfonso said he had learned of the development early yesterday via numerous phone calls from people complaining of their inability to get to work, school and to catch flights due to roadblocks being mounted by police.
He said as a citizen one would be concerned about the situation and especially about the many disruptions. He said his questions would have been what police were looking for, including if it was arms and ammunition He said since it was a police operation, he spoke to the acting Commissioner of Police (CoP), who later came to his office with DCPs Glenn Hackett and Harold Phillips, who all explained what was taking place. Alfonso said the acting CoP told him she would instruct police to stand down all roadblocks with immediate effect until further notice.
“It was not to say the minister was the one who said to ‘stand down.’ That’s not how it works,” Alfonso said. “I can’t do that. I wouldn’t even venture to do that and I’m sure the CoP wouldn’t have said the minister told them to stand down.” Saying social media allegations on that aspect were erroneous, Alfonso added: “If it was due to an upsurge in crime, et cetera, I would hardly want to tell them to halt operations.
“If it is the traffic and public was disrupted as it was, I would have dialogue with the CoP and take advice from her in the matter and a decision would be made. The CoP can make or take decisions to cease operations. “I am sure I expressed my concerns with the chaos but at the end of the day I have no control over police service operations. An outsider can never tell the CoP or divisional commanders how to do their job, and I wouldn’t do so.”
Alfonso said he was satisfied the CoP was going to investigate why the roadblocks were so extensive. However, he said he didn’t think “most of us were prepared for it.” He also said he would not be interfering in current wage negotiations between the Finance Minister, Chief Personnel Officer and the Police Social and Welfare Association. He said he would try to find out what plans the minister had though. Alfonso said he also could not say that the police roadblocks were an attempt to “pressure” the Government on the negotiations.
“I haven’t been told that. I would hate to think police officers set up roadblocks simply to put pressure on the Government so they could get their way. I don’t think that is the plan,” he said. He said he thought the police had set out to serve the public and while the roadblocks would have caused disruptions in traffic if kept in place too long, “I don’t think they (police) were deliberately trying to cause confusion.” Alfonso also corrected erroneous reports that the National Security Council had met on the issue yesterday.
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Acting CoP kept in loop
Also contacted yesterday, acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, who is out of T&T on official police business, said he had gotten feedback on yesterday’s situation. He said he had spoken to the executive team, acting police commissioner and deputy commissioners and the National Security Minister. “I can’t fully speak to the matter but I am sure appropriate action will be taken and whatever has to be done will be done to bring that matter to closure and decisive action will be taken.” Williams, who returns Saturday, said he would try to continue monitoring the situation.