Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has expressed concern over infighting and lack of coordination in the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), declaring them a plague in the ‘very complex’ organisation.
Pierre’s comments came as the Island’s first female Commissioner of Police (CoP), Crusita Descartes-Pelius, prepared to demit office on Saturday.
However, at a news conference Wednesday, she declined to comment on whether she would accept a contract extension officer.
The Prime Minister disclosed that discussions are taking place regarding her successor, but he could not publicly say certain things.
“Anytime I speak to the police, I tell them there can only be one Commissioner of Police. There will never be two. There can only be one Prime Minister,” the National Security Minister stated.
Regarding officer misconduct once individuals enter the RSLPF, Pierre explained that the Commissioner could dismiss any officer from Constable to Inspector.
He said it was not difficult once the correct procedure was followed.
According to Pierre, there was a need for tough decision-making and for people to stand on principle.
“We must have the fortitude. We must have the sincerity of purpose to say when something is wrong, it is wrong and that’s the problem,” the PM observed.
“And that’s the problem. The decision-makers at all the levels in the public service don’t have the fortitude to take the decisions that they have to take because of other things that really don’t matter,” Pierre told What Makes Me Mad.
“Once you are doing what’s right and you are speaking the truth and this is how I live. What’s right and speak the truth,” the Castries East MP declared.
He said Crusita Descartes-Pelius had blazed the trail for women as the first female Police Commissioner.
“I had confidence in her. You may not believe that, but Commissioner Descartes, I agreed to her appointment based on her CV,” Pierre disclosed.
He said he had never met Descartes-Pelius before that.
STOCK PHOTO: Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and outgoing Police Commissioner Crusita Descartes-Pelius.
