00:00According to the bylaws of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association,
00:06a member of the executive committee shall be eligible to serve only a maximum of three consecutive terms.
00:13One slate contesting the elections has interpreted this to mean that Assistant Commissioner of Police and Andaramasa
00:20is not eligible to contest their elections.
00:24I would have run for three consecutive terms and then I would have taken a break over two election period.
00:33So what I'm running now is not a fourth consecutive term and that is the contention in relation to that.
00:40Ramasa was last in office in 2019. He notes the elections committee cleared him to take part in the elections.
00:48I also take note that the election chair, according to the rules, has a final say in relation to any issue that is an issue of contention as it relates to the election.
01:00I also take note the fact that I'm not the only person in my position who is running currently,
01:05but I am the only person who is being targeted by the opposing candidates in the election as it is.
01:13I feel pretty confident that the matter as it has gone to court will resolve in favour of me.
01:22Ramasa also laments that the municipal police, SRPs and the transit police have been dragged into the matter,
01:30which is now before the high court.
01:32I feel very, very disappointed as it reeks of discrimination against the SRPs.
01:39And if it's anyone that, any group that needs representation, it's the special reserve police officers.
01:46And I believe that there has been a lack of appreciation and institutional knowledge in relation to the involvement of the SRPs
01:55and the representation provided for SRPs by the police association.
02:00In fact, I would have been a member of the association as an SRP, as would have other senior police officers prior to joining the regular police service.
02:12And I wouldn't be surprised if the Minister of Homeland Security would have been a member of the SRP,
02:18would have been a member of the association when he was an SRP too.
02:22Ramasa Cutting, TV6 News.
02:30Ramasa Cutting, TV6 News.
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