Following the speed at which they moved to detain, question and later fire former SSA head Major Roger Best, Opposition Senator Anil Roberts is questioning why after all of that, the man is yet to be charged with any crime.
Speaking at an Opposition press briefing yesterday, at the UNC’s headquarters at Mulchan Seuchan Road, Chaguanas, Roberts pointed out that the police had charged three SSA agents with misbehaviour in public office. However, no charges were laid against Best.
He said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley told reporters at the opening of the Diego Martin Library in March that Government believed circumstances at the SSA presented a threat to national security that warranted a drastic intervention from the Cabinet.
But Roberts said so far he has only seen charges against the SSA agents for the alleged transfer of firearms and ammunition between law enforcement agencies without proper paperwork.
Roberts does not believe those charges meet the benchmark of a critical national security threat.
He said what might reach the threshold for misbehaviour in public office is a prime minister approaching a president to intercept an independent merit list of nominations for Commissioner of Police (CoP). He said misbehaviour entails a prime minister enabling a president to cause the Police Service Commission (PolSC) chairman to breach Section 123 of the Constitution.
“The PolSC then collapsed, and the CoP, who was ranked number 12, is now commissioner, and now people are dying in the streets, bars, and groceries. Kidnapping is raising and raring its ugly head again. Home invasions all across this land. We were without a substantive CoP for at least 11 months. Now, we have people who are not able to manage being extended. That is a threat to national security. Not two .9 mm between police,” Roberts said.
Roberts claimed that Rowley has been attacking independent State institutions and replacing their leaders with people who would serve the Government’s purpose.
He questioned if a recently promoted DCP who oversees the SSA enquiry was “fit for purpose”. He claimed the DCP’s involvement in the Police Service (TTPS) travel to Barbados to participate in the alleged unlawful capture of businessman Brent Thomas in 2022 was questionable.
Roberts said the SSA was good for the country, but alleged that members refused to do Rowley’s bidding, so now members are “under attack”.