PNM BLANKED
Originally printed at
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/PNM_BLANKED-131569748.htmlBy Ria Taitt Political Editor
October 11, 2011
Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs has rejected the People's National Movement's application for a public meeting at Piggott Corner on Friday.
The PNM, since 1987, has held a public meeting at Piggott Corner, Belmont, on the Friday following the presentation of the national budget.
The Commissioner's letter said he was acting under Regulation 7, which states that he has exclusive authority to determine whether or not a public meeting can be held. And in the exercise of that authority, he had made the determination that the meeting should not be held.
Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley said yesterday that while the State of Emergency regulations prevent the gathering of people in meetings, it does not say meetings cannot take place. "It makes provision for the Commissioner of Police to grant permission for such meetings. But he must do so on the basis of whether such a meeting is a threat to public order and safety," Rowley said.
He added that once the Commissioner of Police was satisfied that such a gathering does not threaten public safety and order, he can give permission.
"So today I want to ask the Commissioner of Police—is he saying that a PNM public meeting in Belmont threatens public safety and order? Or is he saying that his political masters are telling him it (the rejection) must be done?" Rowley asked. "Any denial of our application means that the Commissioner is saying that this event threatens public safety and order. And we of the PNM are saying this is absolute hogwash!" Rowley said.
"A PNM meeting in Belmont on a tradition of 20-odd years in no way threatens public safety and order in Trinidad and Tobago. And this (denial) is just the police obstructing legitimate political activity, by a premier political party whose 55 years in this country has been nothing but responsible in conducting public business," Rowley said.
Saying that the Commissioner's stance meant the party could not hold meetings until after December 7 (when the State of Emergency expires), Rowley said this was what the PNM meant when it said Government was maintaining the State of Emergency to suppress political activity.
"This is an unwarranted obstruction of legitimate political activity permissible under the State of Emergency and the CoP would not be able to convince anybody that a PNM meeting at Piggott Corner, something which people have looked forward to every year after every budget, that that threatens public safety and order. He must tell me how, in what form, way and manner," Rowley said.
He said the PNM would continue to apply, and would make another application today for a public meeting in Arima next Wednesday.
The Commissioner's letter, dated October 11, acknowledged the party's request to hold a "public meeting", but said, in accordance with Regulation 7 (1) he was unable to accede to "your request to hold a public march".
Stating that a march was different from a meeting and required a different kind of security, Rowley said the party also wanted to know whether the Commissioner's consideration was done in the context of a march, "which we never applied for".
Regulation 7 (1) of the Emergency Powers Regulations states: "Except with prior permission in writing of the Commissioner of Police, the grant of which shall be in his discretion, no person shall hold or take part in any public march or in any public meeting."