P.M. Barrow announces major shake-up at Police dept…
Just back from Port of Spain, Prime Minister Dean Barrow held his quarterly press conference at the House of Culture this afternoon. But while his remarks were focused on the Summit of the Americas, the big news coming out of the conference is the confirmation of the reported shake-up at the police department. The P.M. was flanked by Minister of National Security, Carlos Perdomo and Minister of Education, Patrick Faber when he made his announcement. Barrow dropped the news that in addition to fresh faces as Assistant commissioners of police, the current Commissioner of Police will go on early retirement and the C.E.O. of National Security Brigadier General Lloyd Gillett will be replaced. According to P.M. Barrow the movement in national security and the police department is in line with the recommendations coming out of the Crooks Report.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“We have been negotiating with the current Commissioner of Police for his early retirement and the fact that Assistant Commissioner Jefferies is expected to take over starting next month. Now this change is not to happen in a vacuum. There will be a strengthened, especially of the senior managerial ranks, so that a number of new assistant commissioners of police will be appointed in an effort to strengthen organizational effectiveness and inline with the Harold Crooks report. In Belize City, personnel changes will take place at eastern division since it is conceded that the biggest policing problems are here in the old capital. There must, therefore, be a special focus and a renewed effort to do better here in the commercial center of our country. Commissioner Designate Jefferies will, in the first instance, be given a one year contract and the new assistant commissioners will be appointed on an acting basis and only confirmed depending on performance. They are also expected to compete by way of performance for the deputy commissioner slot since that will be opened because Allen Wiley, who would be next in line to current commissioner Westby, will go across to the Ministry of National Security as its new C.E.O. The whole idea is to look at the longer term leadership of the department and start preparing the way for a new cadre to occupy the upper echelons again with a view to try and established a new look, a new fit and enhanced performance.”
The Minister of National security will hold a press conference at the end of to announce the details of new assignments in the police department.
