Dumas: PSC appointments unconstitutional Former head of the Public Service and former diplomat Reginald Dumas said yesterday that he still held the view that the appointments of James Armstrong and Roamar Achat-Saney to the Police Service Commission (PSC) by the President, are unconstitutional. This notwithstanding the fact that their nominations were approved by the Parliament on Wednesday. Dumas had previously expressed concerns about the nominations because the qualification criteria, set out in the Constitution, for appointment to the PSC stipulated that persons appointed to this body, must have qualifications and experience in the fields of finance, law, management and sociology. Armstrong is a development planner. Achat-Saney is a former principal, who was called to the Bar only one year ago. Dumas however stated that he was not surprised that the nominations were approved, notwithstanding the reservations expressed by him. Those reservations were outlined in a letter from prominent Queen’s Counsel, Karl Hudson-Phillips in a letter to the Attorney General. That letter hinted at legal action designed to challenge the appointment, if the Parliament were to proceed with approving the nomination and the appointments are made. However yesterday Dumas was not prepared to say whether this option would be exercised. “I have to look first and study carefully the Hansard record of the debate before arriving at any decision on what my next step would be. I continue to think that the appointments are unconstitutional. But I would review the record to see whether I can be persuaded to change my mind on the basis of the arguments made by the Government’s spokesperson,” he said. On the view that the names came to the Parliament via a consultation process involving the President, Prime Minister and Opposition Leader and that the Parliament was therefore duty bound to endorse these nominations, Dumas said Parliament may feel obligated, but as a citizen he regarded the Constitution as the supreme law of the land. (Source: Trinidad Express)
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 12:37:04 +0000
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