Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says Parliament is needed to implement changes within the Police Service.

At a media conference this morning, he referred multiple times to the Police Manpower Audit Report submitted in 2017 by a Committee led by Professor Ramesh Deosaran.

After highlighting some findings, he pointed to a particular recommendation.

In the Audit Report, the Committee said the proposed Police Inspectorate would “play a major role in leadership training, inspections, quality assurance, measurement and evaluation.”

Meanwhile, when asked about Police Commissioner Erla Christopher, Dr Rowley said she was in ‘a difficult situation”.

THE OPPOSITION RESPONDS

Responding to the briefing, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar accused the Prime Minister of directing “irrational blame” at the bureaucratic system.

In a statement she said, “The saying “A poor carpenter blames his tools” clearly applies to Rowley’s presentation as he continues to blame me, the UNC, the police, the former police commissioner, the citizens, parents and now the bureaucracy.”

She also criticized the Government for continuing to support a Police Commissioner that she believes has not met the minimum standard of performance in her duties.

And despite Dr Rowley referring to the Opposition’s Anti-Crime Town Hall meetings as a “pappyshow” during today’s conference, Mrs Persad-Bissessar again invited him to participate, insisting that it is a non-political platform.