Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Stuart Young says the Government will not be interfering in the selection process for the Commissioner of Police.
Young said this in Parliament on Wednesday while contributing to a debate of a private motion by Opposition members to annul the order for changes to the selection process of the Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Young, who responded to assertions from the Opposition that changes to the process could allow the Government to interfere with the appointment, said the Executive played a limited role.
“The only role the Executive plays is that the Minister of National Security requests that the Police Service Commission commence the selection process,” Young said.
“What we are looking to do is fix a problem that existed for the past three-and-a-half years to ensure there is a permanent Commissioner of Police.”
Young said Government had moved quickly to simply bring forward the process of the appointment.
He said there was nothing that could be argued to be wrong with the newly proposed process.
The new process allows the Minister of National Security to request that the Police Service Commission contract a local firm under the Central Tenders Board Act to conduct the recruitment process, which includes inviting applications for the posts.
“There is a desire by the Government to rebuild the country and move us to a first world status. A lot of fuss was made to the selection of the firm.
“We have in no way shackled the Police Service Commission,” said Young.
“We have provided them with a simpler process. That task is completely mandated on the hand of the Police Service Commission working with a suitable local firm to find a local commissioner.”
See Page A12