Grenada Public Service Commission Defends Decision To Reinstate Suspended Senior Police Officer

1. GEORGE’S, Grenada, July 13, (CMC) – The Public Service Commission (OSC), today, defended its decision to reinstate Assistant Superintendent of Police, Claudius David, and the Keith Mitchell government said it was surprised at the decision.

The PSC confirmed that the senior police officer had been suspended from September 2015, pending the outcome of a court case, and that he would reach the compulsory retirement from the Public Service on November 30, this year, when he reaches the age of 60.

“Mr. David would have accumulated 170 calendar days vacation leave, prior to his interdiction, and was due to proceed on the said leave, which covers the period 13^th June to 29^th November, 2016, to be immediately followed by his retirement,” the PSC said in a statement.

Earlier, the government issued a statement indicating that it had been made aware of the decision by the PSC to reinstate David, and was “categorically deny(ing) any previous knowledge of this decision”.

The Keith Mitchell administration said that it is “as surprised as the rest of the nation to learn of this from various media outlets”.

“Like the rest of the nation, government is awaiting the facts of this matter from the relevant authorities,” the statement added.

But the PSC said that given David’s outstanding leave, it therefore “terminated” the interdiction against him, with effect from 12^th June, this year, and granted the senior police officer the 170 calendar days vacation leave from 13^th June to 29^th November, 2016, to be immediately “followed by his retirement from the Service with effect from 30^th November, 2016, on the ground of age.

“It must be noted, that Mr. David has been re-instated into the Public Service solely for the Public Service Commission to execute the normal procedures for his retirement, pending the decision of the Court.

“This does not mean that he has resumed duties and therefore he is not physically present within the Royal Grenada Police Force. The Commission is not at liberty to judge the outcome of the court matter at this time and, as such, cannot take its own decision.

“Mr. David is being assumed innocent in the meantime and has to be treated in that way until proven guilty by the Court. If guilty then the Commission will have to act in accordance with the judgment of the Court and, if innocent, the normal procedures continue,” the PSC added.