Gomes, chairman of the Constitutional body with oversight of the Police Service, wrote Acting Commissioner of Police Ann Marie Alleyne-Daly on March 25 calling for a report. The letter requested information and raised concerns as follows:

1. How could such a well-executed and coordinated exercise be undertaken without the knowledge of TTPS intelligence?

2. When the Executive found out about the exercise, why did it take four hours to stop the exercise?

3. What steps are being taken to prevent this from happening in the future?

4. Does this exercise further erode the public trust and confidence that the public had in the TTPS?

This was disclosed yesterday by PSC member Martin George at a meeting of the Parliament committee charged with examining the PSC’s operations.

Earlier Minister of Food Production, Devant Maharaj questioned the PSC on the issue of Monday’s blockade, and what steps the PSC had taken to hold the TTPS to account.

“Have you called for a report, given the fact that there were public statements that the Acting Commissioner of Police and the deputies thereunder that they had no material knowledge of the officers under their charge that effectively held the country to ransom by this lock-down or exercise that frustrated citizens to no end, and cost millions?” Maharaj asked. “Every police and their dog was out on the road, and on the Bus Route. At least ten officers were at every stop, checking lipstick, oil, wind-shield wiper.”

Extracted From: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday Newspaper

Saturday, March 28 2015