Former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee is insisting that his successor flouted the constitution in directing that Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud take special leave in the interest of the public.
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan in a letter dated November 23, 2017, instructed that the Top Cop take special leave until further notice.
But Rohee told reporters during a press conference today that Ramjattan has no authority to pass on such instructions.
“The Minister of Public Security actually dismissing the Commissioner of Police, a measure which he has no authority to execute,” Rohee stated, noting that he will get into more details during the budget debates next week.
Seelall was slated to return to work on November 24, 2017, after four months of vacation leave, however, his absence from work was extended until further notice.
Rohee said he is confused about the intention of the administration as he questioned the true reasons for keeping the Top Cop out of police affairs.
“What is a little confusing also is that, on the one hand, they appear to don’t want him there but on the other, they say he will come back. To do what? This is what people are asking,” he expressed.
Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, who also served as Home Affairs Minister, further explained that a government minister has no jurisdiction to pass such instructions to the Commissioner of Police.
Teixeira reminded that only recently the High Court ruled that the government acted unconstitutionally when its Minister of State Joseph Harmon instructed the Police Service Commission to halt the police promotions.
President David Granger, however, told media operatives on Wednesday morning that there was nothing “abnormal” about the actions.
“So in this case, all we did, we insisted that the leave that was due to Mr Seelall Persaud be enjoyed; rather than having it piecemeal, we said let him take his leave and at the end of that leave, we will decide how we go forward but right now there is nothing abnormal or irregular about Mr Persaud going on leave. The leave is due to him, he is not being sent on administrative leave, he is enjoying vacation leave to which he is entitled,” President Granger told reporters.
