Police Service Commission files Court action over stalled police promotions

The PSC is also seeking a declaration that the Commission as presently constituted by Chairman, Mr. Paul Slowe and Commissioners Michael Somersall, Ms. Claire Jarvis, Ms. Vesta Adams, and Mr. Clinton Conway, remain competent and responsible to fulfill its constitutional mandate including appointments to any office in the Police Force of or above the rank of Inspector in accordance with Article 212 (1) of the constitution.

Police Service Commission files Court action over stalled police promotions

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has filed an urgent application in the High Court asking the Court to reverse a suspension order that was issued by President Irfaan Ali.

Exactly one month ago, President Irfaan Ali suspended all five members of the Police Service Commission (PSC) including its Chairman, former Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe with immediate effect pending a tribunal hearing.

Mr. Slowe and his Attorney have since declared that the suspension was illegal and unlawful as it did not follow the constitution and will be disregarded.

The PSC is also seeking a declaration that the Commission as presently constituted by Chairman, Mr. Paul Slowe and Commissioners Michael Somersall, Ms. Claire Jarvis, Ms. Vesta Adams, and Mr. Clinton Conway, remain competent and responsible to fulfill its constitutional mandate including appointments to any office in the Police Force of or above the rank of Inspector in accordance with Article 212 (1) of the constitution.

The PSC also wants the High Court to order that the ranks who were recently promoted by the PSC were properly promoted.

The body is requesting “an order of mandamus directed to the secretary of the Police Service Commission, requiring the said secretary to prepare formal letters to the ranks named on the official list of promotions compiled and signed by the Commission on June 28, 2021 informing the said ranks of the Commission’s decision to promote them and of their particulars of their respective promotion, in accordance with convention and the respondent secretary’s proper role as secretary to the Police Service Commission”.

Further, the PSC also wants an order directed to the responding secretary requiring the said secretary to have a government order prepared giving effect to the promotions set out in the promotion list and to instruct the principal personnel officer to publish the said government order.

In Court papers filed by Attorneys Selwyn Pieters, Dexter Todd, and Dexter Smartt, they have detailed how there were attempts by the President, and other officials to influence the work of the Commission.

The High Court application also told of how the President made several phone calls to the PSC Chairman seeking information about the status of promotions for some senior officers.

The Attorneys also explained that a court case brought by Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus to block the promotions was dismissed by the Chief Justice, thereby clearing the way for the promotions to move ahead.

The PSC wants the High Court to grant an order directed to the Commissioner of Police to cause a special promotion order to be prepared and for the Commissioner to give instructions to the quartermaster to issue the newly promoted ranks as set out in the promotions list with their respective badge rank.

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