Sunday, October 5 2008

CONGRESS of the People (COP) member Devant Maharaj yesterday asked the Integrity Commission to investigate the actions of Acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) James Philbert on September 12, when People’s National Movement (PNM) supporters assembled in Woodford Square while a no-confidence motion in Prime Minister Patrick Manning was being debated inside the Parliament.

In a letter dated October 4 to Integrity Commission Registrar Martin Farrell, Maharaj said it was a matter of public record that neither Philbert nor the Port-of-Spain City Corporation gave permission for PNM supporters to gather in Woodford Square on September 12. He claimed that Philbert made no attempt to have police officers disperse the crowd in keeping with Section Three of the Summary Offences Act which deals with illegal meetings held without the permission of the Police commissioner.

Maharaj further alleged that Philbert may be in breach of Section Four of the Integrity in Public Life Act which states that persons in public life must be fair and impartial in the conduct of their public duties and afford no undue preferential treatment to any group or individual. He added that under these circumstances, Philbert did not exercise his powers as acting police commissioner in a fair and impartial manner. He said this could create an impression of “political bias.”