Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams has a lot of explaining to do as the image of the Police Service has yet again been tarnished with the alleged discovery of the marijuana find at the private residence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
So said the PNM’s public relations officer Faris Al-Rawi yesterday.
He also urged that former deputy police commissioner and head of the Rapid Response Unit Mervyn Richardson go beyond the “no comment line” and explain to the nation exactly what transpired.
“The Commissioner of Police has a significant amount of explanation to provide to the people of T&T in relation to the line of reporting and application of the law as it should be applied to the allegation.
“It is interesting to note that the Commissioner of Police is on record at the Joint Select Committee of National Security as saying that he is estopped from investigating the total policing event because of the Police Complaints Authority investigation into the same matter, yet on this matter he now says that he will commence an investigation while the PCA is investigating at the same time.
“Most regrettably is the public utterances of the Commissioner of Police. It stands as inconsistent on too many occasions.This does little to this to foster any confidence as the efficiency and capability of the Police Service in applying the law without fair or favour, malice or ill-will,” Al-Rawi added.
Saying that the country needed much ventilation of what has now become a “nefarious issue” A-Rawi said this was essential so that the average citizen many be left with confidence that no one was above the law.
He said the Prime Minister has financial authority for the National Operations Centre (NOC) as was observed in the 2015 budget in Appropriation Bill 2014.
At the finance committee stage the NSOC received some $80 million the majority of which was for operations.
“Having former DCP Richardson as the deputy of NSOC and allegation of a breech of police of operations procedures in failing to inform the Commissioner of Police of an alleged find and instead informing the then national security minister could only stand as an indictment.
“The continuation of this employment of his employment of the NSOC must not continue and clearly he clearly he needs to move beyond the no comment line and respond to questions,” Al-Rawi added.