Griffith’s Men Gone: Former Top Cop Says Political Interference To Blame
A list of at least 20 contract employees who were hired during the three years Gary Griffith served as Police Commissioner were today terminated by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.
Reports indicate the move came as part of a cost-cutting exercise and was in no way linked to the former Commissioner.
Responding to the news, Griffith said it was clear that political interference was at play as it relates to the TTPS.
“This purging that is happening at the TTPS, reminds me of what occurs after election campaigns, where personnel on state boards are discarded, regardless of if they performed admirably or not. This is a logical conclusion that perhaps alludes to a witch hunt, that is born out of petty vindictiveness, which is made even more glaring because individuals were fired on the spot, without the involvement of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Security, the person responsible for terminating contracts,” the former Top Cop said.
“If at any time our nation has seen deliberate political interference in the running of the Police Service, it is today,” he lamented.
Griffith continued: “On the heels of an announcement about reviewing of contracts at the TTPS, by the line minister, during a parliamentary debate, and a hit-piece in yesterday’s Sunday Express newspapers, every single right thinking citizen should be very concerned that the hierarchy of the TTPS appears to have been pressured to take directives, to execute a well orchestrated plan.”
He was referring to an article by Express journalist which detailed allegations that $18,000-$42,000 contracts had been given out by Griffith while he headed the TTPS.
“It is inconceivable to think that the TTPS hierarchy would terminate every single contract of persons that I appointed, without a directive, especially given the fact that these individuals were at the heart of the remarkable numbers, and public sentiment turn around, that the TTPS has enjoyed in the past couple of years, under my watch,” Griffith said.