JAYANTI LUTCHMEDIAL TO MC DONALD JACOB, STAY IN YOUR LANE AND DEAL WITH POLICE BUSINESS…
A war of words continue between Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial and Acting Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob after Lutchmedial responded to Jacob’s statement that he won’t be muzzled by the Opposition UNC.
Lutchmedial, at a news conference at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition in Port of Spain on Wednesday, said Jacob should leave legislation to those in Parliament and focus on fighting crime and doing police work.
But on Friday at a press briefing at the Ministry of National Security, Jacob shot back at Lutchmedial saying he had every right to speak on the legislation and he won’t be muzzled by the UNC.
Jacob said: “They can take it into consideration if they want. So to say that the commissioner of police should not speak…The commissioner of police has the right to comment on such issues and I will continue doing so.”
“I am the acting Commissioner of Police, and policing in itself doesn’t just fall alone in a corner. It is a part of the criminal justice system. Coming from it, there are the basic roles that exist in the criminal justice system and criminology. What we are looking at is the deterrence,” he added.
Jacob also made an appeal to Parliamentarians to extend the Bail Amendment Act which denies bail to persons charged with certain offences up to 120 as such legislation is set to expire on August 5th.
Lutchmedial, in a statement issued on Saturday 25th June , 2022, hit back saying no one was seeking to muzzle Jacob who failed to respond to issues that fall directly under his remit.
She accused the Acting Commissioner of “decending into the political arena” and bringing the independence of his office into disrepute and “… being a chorus boy in (Fitzgerald) Hinds’ (National Security Minister) political choir.”
Lutchmedial made it clear that the Government’s position to deny persons bail is illegal and the Opposition will not support such in any way.
Lutchmedial, an attorney at law, in her lengthy statement added, “Whilst Commissioner Jacob may have his own ambitions, he must be disciplined enough to respect the independence of the office he holds before rushing to describe the UNC’s position as ‘retarded’ and an attempt to muzzle him.
“The issue is not whether he should be muzzled but rather, that he should stay in his lane and speak on issues that are relevant to his duties and office.”
