00:00TV6 News spoke with Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander via telephone
00:04to get his response to the concerns being expressed by the opposition and others
00:09about the whereabouts of Police Commissioner Alistair Govaro.
00:51The Homeland Security Minister did not say where that is.
00:55The Express newspaper is reporting that Police Commissioner Govaro
00:59has taken a few days of emergency leave.
01:01The Express is also reporting that police sources said
01:04that it is likely that he has left the country.
01:07It is almost like, you know, when you enter public office,
01:13your personal life becomes the public.
01:17Some things that we need to leave alone at times, you know,
01:21and just bring it to that level.
01:23And when the time comes, we explain it all.
01:25In a statement last week, Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzalez
01:28asked, quote,
01:30if the Commissioner of Police is out of the jurisdiction,
01:32there may be legitimate reasons for him to be out.
01:35Why wasn't the Constitution complied with
01:38and an acting Police Commissioner appointed
01:41to take charge of the TTPS,
01:42especially given the fact that this country
01:45is under a state of emergency, end quote.
01:48An apparent reference to the required approval
01:50of the House of Representatives for an acting appointment
01:53once a recommendation is received
01:56from the Police Service Commission via President's House.
01:59The Parliament is presently on its July-August recess.
02:02The Trent Tobago Police Service has what we deem a hierarchy.
02:12There are first division officers,
02:14second division officers, and all of that.
02:16A police service association.
02:20So there are a number of persons
02:22in the Trent Tobago Police Service
02:24who from time to time would go here, there, and everywhere.
02:29And even in their absence,
02:31there are persons who can replace them.
02:33So I don't know why all this excitement.
02:36Minister Alexander then spoke about ranks
02:38which comprise the Police Service executive.
02:40The Trent Tobago Police Service have three deputies
02:43and 11 Assistant Commissioner of Police.
02:49This is not a one-man job, Mr. Brown.
02:52Homeland Security Minister Alexander
02:54made specific mention of Deputy Commissioner Police Junior Benjamin
02:58who has previously served as the acting police commissioner.
03:03However, Minister Alexander did not make any mention
03:06of there being an acting police commissioner at this time.
03:10Mr. Benjamin, who we are all familiar with
03:14and who has, we have the great,
03:18we have good confidence in him and all of that.
03:21He would have held this mantle before.
03:24We continue to support Mr. Benjamin.
03:27Mr. Benjamin, being the Deputy Commissioner of Police,
03:30continues to support his men.
03:31His men are supporting him.
03:33There are no issues with the Trent Tobago Police Service.
03:37And that is coming from me as the line minister.
03:40The Express reported the Deputy Police Commissioner Benjamin
03:43as having said, quote,
03:45there's no problem in terms of the administration
03:47and leadership of the TTPS at this time, end quote.
03:52Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
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