As we told you two nights ago, police constable Alicia Trapp's application for judicial review against the Commissioner of Police will be heard before the Supreme Court. Attorney for the Commissioner and the Attorney General Andrew Marshalleck tried to get the court to set the application aside completely, but Trapp's attorney OJ Elrington did succeed on one claim. The court will hear arguments on the claim that her right to freedom of expression and of political opinions has been breached.
Ellington called it a victory, but today the Commissioner of Police said that's the equivalent of claiming that France, not Argentina, won the World Cup:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"If you play football game, isn't it that the team that scores the most goals win? If not, then France would be the Worldcup champions, not Argentina. He sought 6 release from the court and our attorney was able to have the court dismiss 5 of those 6 release that he sought. How could you claim victory? 4 goals were scored against you, you only scored 1. Unless if victory has now changed its meaning."
"What the court will do, which is perfectly in order, because in judicial review the court is the one that ensures that the constitutional rights of people is protected, so they are the guardians of the constitution. So what the court is going to do I assume is that the judge is going to hear the matter to determine whether or not the provisions of the police act are reasonable."
"I think the court is going to delve into it to ascertain if the provisions in section 24 is reasonable and I am sure at the end, the court is going to find that they are reasonable. We live in a society where people already believe that police have too much powers, police are indiscipline. How can you live in a just society where the police would have np rules that governs them. Do you then expect that they are going to perform their duties and treat the public with respect and perform with integrity as they should? Even in the homes you have discipline, so it is only right that the police department and as well as the coast guard and the BDF do have provisions to ensure that they keep their members in line so that they do not violate the rights of the ordinary citizenry. So I am confident at the end of the day when the matter is heard we were are going to prevail victorious."
We'll be there when this matter goes to court.
