PPP supports new Top Cop – Jagdeo

Aug 31, 2018 News

…Says James must be given fair chance to work

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo has vowed that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will support the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Leslie James.
Jagdeo met with President David Granger yesterday at State House to discuss the appointment of the Commissioner as mandated by the Constitution.
Speaking with reporters at his weekly press conference, Jagdeo disclosed that any Commissioner of Police will have the support of the PPP.
“I am a strong supporter of our law enforcement agencies. In fact, many times, I have gotten hammered by some people when I was President for saying that I support them too much. I am a strong supporter. They stand between us and chaos,” Jagdeo outlined.
Pointing to the need for country-wide support, Jagdeo stated that all have a duty, if you agree with the process or not, to support the law enforcement agencies.
“If he is going to be the Commissioner of Police, he has to enjoy the trust of the whole country until he proves that he can’t enjoy that trust. Right now, we have to give him fair chance to work,” Jagdeo noted.
Granger had sent a list of five names to Jagdeo on Tuesday. The five included Assistant Commissioners Nigel Hoppie, Maxine Graham, Paul Williams, Lyndon Alves and James.
Then Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine was notably absent from the list, an indication that perhaps he was not being considered for Top Cop or any of the four vacant Deputy Commissioner posts.
The President has since appointed Hoppie, Graham, Williams and Alves and Deputy Commissioners.
Commenting on the meeting at State House, Jagdeo stated that he informed the President that he did not have a positive or adverse view to the five names because he did not get adequate time to study the names.
“I heard from various people at various points in time about the individuals and I do know many of them because they have been in the Force for a long time. I did not intend to raise rumours or conversations that people shared with me that can’t be substantiated by evidence because it would do an injustice to the individuals concerned,” Jagdeo noted.