Opposition Leader: Williams never sought post for top cop

People’s National Movement (PNM) leader Dr Keith Rowley has sought to clear the air on the party’s unwillingness to endorse acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams for the post. Rowley said yesterday when Canadian Dwayne Gibbs applied nearly two years ago for the top cop position, Williams did not apply. Instead, he said, Williams applied as a deputy police commissioner along with Jack Ewatski and Williams and Ewatski were supported by the PNM. “So this thing about the PNM rejecting Mr Williams as police commissioner is totally untrue because Mr Williams never applied for the post. We cannot reject something if it wasn’t there in the first place,” Rowley said. He added the PNM’s choice for police commissioner was then deputy police commissioner Maurice Piggott instead of Gibbs.

He said he believed Piggott’s education was more impressive than Gibbs’ as he attended Cambridge University which was paid for by local taxpayers. “Mr Piggott was the best choice for the country and he was disregarded but it was the UNC who failed to support him because Basdeo Panday was arrested and because of that they felt Mr Piggott had to pay for that. We in the PNM make no apology for saying that,” Rowley added. However, in a brief telephone interview, Williams said he had applied for the post of commissioner but did he did not want to comment further on the issue. Rowley also called on Williams to say whether he would be investigating the National Security Minister for alleged bribery.

Alexis, Craig appointed

Assistant Police Commissioners Simon Alexis and Raymond Craig have been promoted to the posts of acting deputy Police Ccommissioners. The positions were left vacant when Williams, a DCP, was elevated to acting Police Commissioner and when deputy Police Commissioner Jack Ewatski resignated on July 26. A press release  from the Police Service Commission yesterday said Alexis and Craig would act as DCPs until next January 31. Williams’s tenure also expires at that time.