Published 1 August 2017
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News
Former PLP chairman says Saunders appointment undermines COP Queeley already being spied on by Harris activist
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 30TH 2017 – Former chairman of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP), Douglas Wattley says the appointment by Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris and Minister of retired Major General Stewart Saunders of Jamaica as National Security is wrong and could undermine the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ian Queeley.
Mr. Wattley is of the view that the money to hire Major Saunders could have been better used to pay other professionals who can make a difference at the operational level, skilled in dealing with gangs and fighting crime at the street level.
“This argument that Major Saunders will do strategy and policy is weak. Is he going to write strategies every day? Is he going to develop policies every day? By their very nature, strategic and policy decisions have a long view. So when made and operationalized the next and ongoing steps are tactical,” said Wattley, who further stated that the police needs help with tactics – the day-to-day applications that make a difference on the ground.
“A better use of resources would be to embed experienced, capable police officers from the United States, Canada and or England, with the local officers. Let them mentor and coach the local police. Let them go out in the field much like US soldiers do in Iraq and Syria accompanying the local soldiers. This will help to build the competency of the local police,” said Wattley.
He expressed concern that the Commissioner of Police is already spied on and reported on by a political activist.
“The COP is likely to be overruled by a new advisor who has the PM’s ear. I can assure you that the PM is going to second guess every advice, decision and action of the COP. The COP has just been rendered irrelevant,” he said.
Wattley who was among several executive and founding members ousted at a hastily called PLP Convention last March accused Prime Minister Harris, also the PLP National Political Leader of lacking the leadership and managership to run the Ministry of National Security.
“This decision is, in part, to obfuscate the fact of his spectacular failure,” said Wattley.
Photo 1- Douglas Wattley
Photo 2 – Timothy Harris (left) and Steward Saunders
Photo 3 – Ian Queeley
