Garry Griffth asks PM Rowley to come clean regarding COP Merit List

Gary Griffith asked PM Rowley and acting COP Jacob to come clean regarding the Merit List for COP.

Monday, 21st March 2022

Former Commissioner of Police Trinidad and Tobago Gary Griffith again took a dig at PM Keith Rowley and his government. He said the PM Rowley and acting COP Mc Donald Jacob need to come clean and stop misleading the Nation regarding the fiasco over the Merit List for COP. Gary Griffith who was removed from his position as the Commissioner of Police over a newly released Merit List asked the government and current police commissioner to clear air on the following questions: 1. If Keith Rowley had lost confidence and, was disappointed in me, why then, in April 2021, did he direct that the law be amended so I can act as COP when my contract ended in August 2021? 2. Did you not inform your Cabinet in early 2021 that you wished you can have " 10 Gary Grifiths" to assist you to fix this country? Did this sound like someone who was disappointed in my performance? 3. If the so-called report was so "explosive" that mandated you to run to President's House to meet others and use as a Post office, then what took you so long to act, considering that report was in your hands months before that controversial meeting at President's House. 4. Seeing that one of your Ministers in the National Security Council, decided to leak extracts of this so-called report to your selective media contacts, then why not release it to the public? Let the Nation view and decide if this report was so "explosive". The reason I demand this, is that the 2-man committee appointed by politicians to review Firearms, had NOTHING linking me or any senior officer to any wrongdoing. Stop misleading the country. 5. One member of this 2-man committee, cannot send a separate report with his own signature, as that report is as relevant as anyone of the 1.4 million citizens sending any report to anyone. You will recall your disgust, Keith Rowley, when you advised that this one man took it upon himself to submit the unauthorized singular report to the President without your knowledge. So that report is null and void and has no relevance, so how can you use one citizen with no law enforcement authority as a rationale to justify any intervention? 6. How did you know that Bliss Seepersad was delivering the Merit List that day, and how did you know that I topped the Merit List, to cause you to run to President's House that day? 7. How can you say that there was no interaction or involvement with the President, but you used President's House to meet a PSC Chairman to deliver a report from a citizen with no investigative authority? Is the President's House now a shopping Mall that any two parties can meet without the knowledge, input or approval of the President? And for Acting COP Jacob, who has been trying his best to avoid this matter being investigated, by saying that it requires me to submit a report: Gary Griffith asked following questions to acting COP MC DONALD JACOB 1. I submitted a report to you via email, in October 2021. I submitted this in my capacity as then Acting COP, directing an investigation be undertaken, so why have you refused to act? 2. Your excuse to say that you need someone to submit a report in baseless. Who went to a Police Station to submit a report over E Mail Gate for the Police to launch a thorough investigation? No one. Who went to a Police Station to submit a report about Firearm's being issued, yet you have appointed over 50 officers to investigate? No one. Hence, understand your role as a Police Commissioner and understand that Police is responsible to detect and investigate any possible crime, and you don't need someone to be a complainant as a reason to justify launching any investigation, especially, when the information, witnesses and possible suspects are right there for the Nation to see. 3. Out of over 7,000 available police officers, why select the one senior officer who has personal responsibility and interaction with the Prime Minister as part of his personal security to decide if this matter warrants an investigation? This same officer, then goes on to be appointed by the Prime Minister, to be part of the 3-man committee to ascertain what happened during the nationwide blackout. 4.All it takes is for the Police to interview the 4 previous PSC members to ascertain if a crime was committed. Full Statement of Gary Griffith To conclude, even the most loyal supporter of Keith Rowley would agree that they would like to see his name cleared of this accusation. This cannot be done if an Acting COP refuses to do his job as the court of public opinion would remain on this matter and not to his favour. So to clear his name, I would expect every PNM supporter to also demand that Mr. Jacob do his job and have the Police meet the 4 previous PSC members, upon which these persons may very well give a statement clearing him of any wrong doing. Again, the first signs of dictatorship in a country is when a Government starts to direct the Police as to what matters to investigate and who to pursue. This matter will not be allowed to be diminished as it has caused tremendous concern amongst our Nation’s highest office holders, and now the Office of Commissioner of Police.