Promoted Police Officers to retain promotions – Harmon

The Police Officers who were promoted by Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine in the absence of Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud will not be stripped of their positions. Minister of State Joseph Harmon made this disclosure as he addressed the media on Thursday.
Late last month, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud raised concerns over some promotions of senior ranks, a move that was made by Acting Commissioner David Ramnarine, while Persaud was on leave.

“Yes, in fact the Minister did advise cabinet that he did advise the Commissioner of Police and I think he produced his legal opinion that those officers that were promoted by Mr Ramnarine were to remain promoted. That their promotion should not be recalled,” Harmon stated.
Upon his return, and learning of the promotions, the Police Commissioner had asked that the promotions be annulled. However, this was not done.
The Top Cop had claimed that his temporary replacement was not authorised to make any such promotions.
The matter has since spilled into the public domain and according to President Granger recently, the Public Security Minister had been tasked with investigating the matter.
He said that when the Assistant Commissioner is acting in that capacity, it is expected that it is done in an affirmative and not passive manner.
“Although there is a structure, there is also a convention that persons who are acting have to do their work in an affirmative manner and not in a passive manner,” said President Granger.
He nonetheless opined that the matter is not insurmountable and while it is cause for concern, it is in fact nothing more than a “storm in a teacup”, adding “I don’t believe the problems are unsolvable.”