The House of Representatives is waiting to debate the five notifications of people nominated for a new Police Service Commission (PSC) and all five will be dealt with together.
Leader of Government Business, Camille Robinson-Regis confirmed this yesterday following the advertised statement from President Paula-Mae Weekes.
This included information on nominees for a new PSC and where the process had reached in obtaining nominees.
The last commission, headed by Bliss Seepersad, collapsed recently following issues concerning selection of a Police Commissioner.
After the 2022 budget debate, Robinson-Regis had indicated to MPs that a constitutional matter would be coming to the House.
Yesterday, after Weekes’ statements, Robinson- Regis said, “We await all of the names (for PSC) which will be debated together.”
She said debate date on the matter would depend on when the notifications arrive and couldn’t say if it would be the next order of House business, “but when they come, the matter will be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.”
No House of Representative sitting is planned for this week. Debate on the 2022 budget begins in the Senate this morning.
Yesterday’s statement from President’s House included noting that in the matter of an acting Police Commissioner the President must now await a list of nominees submitted by the newly reconstituted PSC.
She said, “As of now there are three notifications with the Clerk of the House of Representatives, one ongoing consultation with the Prime Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition and the (Office of the President) continues to work assiduously to identify a fifth nominee.”
The Office of the President had only so far released the names of two nominees – retired justice Judith Jones and financial consultant Maxine Attong .
Guardian Media was informed yesterday that the name of the third nominee– whose notification was sent to Parliament– will be released shortly.
It could not be confirmed if the third person might be security professional Ian Ramdhanie or if the “ongoing consultations” – for a fourth nominee–pertain to him.
Opposition sources yesterday indicated the UNC had raised concerns on Ramdhanie “but not necessarily objection.”
The UNC , however, last week objected to attorney Ernest Koylass. His name is not among notifications, it’s confirmed.
Other experts expected are from the fields of sociology/management since the required experts from the fields of law (Jones) and finance ( Attong) have been obtained.