Bad move

“It is wrong!”

That is how outspoken Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn is describing government’s decision to place former Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin in charge of security planning for the upcoming United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Franklyn argued that Dottin, who was sent on administrative leave during the previous Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration’s tenure, was now a civilian who was “taking over the security” for the UNCTAD meetings.

“I understand the former Commissioner of Police, who is now a civilian, will be responsible for policing, because that is what it is. And as far as I know, only the Commissioner of Police is responsible for security in this place, but government is doing what it likes,” Franklyn told his colleagues in the Senate on Wednesday during debate on the amendments of the Customs Bill.

“You cannot take away the power of the Commissioner of Police who is responsible for security, talking about you giving it to somebody else. I don’t care how much you like them or how much you want to give them a perk. It is wrong,” he insisted.

On Sunday that Attorney General Dale Marshall revealed that in addition to providing advice, Dottin would be taking lead responsibility for organizing security for the high-level UN events to take place here in October next year.

Marshall said: “Let’s be frank, Barbados does not have a surplus of resources. Plain and simple . . . I can see no reason why we should not look at individuals who have transitioned out of the system for whatever reason, to bring them back in to help us”.

marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb