Moving a Motion in which he sought to nullify government’s changes to the process in selecting a Police Commissioner, Opposition Senator Wade Mark called for the process to remain as is, alleging that the new system leaves an opening for government interference.

The Motion was debated in the Senate on Monday.

“This is not the first time that a PNM government has attempted to adjust, amend, change, alter, the selection process as it relates to the commissioner of police as well as a deputy,” Mark told the Upper House.

He added that he was “amazed and shocked that an attorney general can go on public TV and also have printed in the newspapers that this order seeks to simplify the process, when we know upon closer examination, it is aimed at interfering.”

Immediately responding to the Motion was Attorney General Faris Al Rawi, who pointed out that the decision to remove the mandate to advertise the post internationally only serves to simplify the process.

AG Al Rawi maintained that the Police Service Commission has full autonomy. 

“The PSC has the authority and autonomy to nominate, appoint a CoP; to act or hold office… The Constitution says the PSC shall submit to the President, the list of names. The President shall issue a notification in respect of each nominated… And the notification shall be subject to affirmative resolution of the House of Representatives,” Al Rawi explained, rejecting Senator Mark’s “conspiracy theory” that government had amended the process in order to have its choice selected. 

“It’s after the process of consideration by the House engages, that the produces someone who the majority says should be Commissioner of Police, it returns to the PSC and the PSC makes an appointment as it sees fit,” Al Rawi continued. 

Government’s removal of the mandate to advertise the post internationally was announced on June 17th, exactly two months before Police Commissioner Gary Griffith’s tenure comes to an end. 

Griffith has already announced that he will offer himself for another term.