CoP to Deyalsingh: ‘Include me in covid19 talks'

COMMISSIONER of Police Gary Griffith says he has been trying to contact Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh for days, describing some of the ministry's actions as “hypocrisy.”

He was speaking at a media briefing on Monday morning.

He said the police are there to enforce laws, so he should at least be included "at the forefront" of discussions surrounding the covid19 pandemic.

Recently, Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram said team sports involving children should not be allowed.

But Griffith had responded that children were congregating for other things, such as beach visits. He said some people seemed to have misunderstood the point he was trying to make.

“If it is you just give us a briefing to say, ‘Do not have a sporting tournament,’ but you could allow persons to play 20-a-side small goal in an enclosed environment in Nelson Mandela Park and nothing is done – that is not democracy, that is hypocrisy.”

In a release last Wedensday, the CoP criticised the CMO's advice that youth sports should be postponed until school restarts in September. Griffith said young people would be frustrated after being shut up at home under lockdown, and said there was no law against their playing sports once the maximum numbers permitted under the Public Health Ordiannce were observed.

Griffith added on Monday,, “I heard the Minister of Health speak today and he said, ‘Communication is the key.’

"It’s very interesting the Minister of Health stated this, because a few days now I’ve asked him to contact me and he said he is busy.

"For several days I’ve asked to meet the Chief Medical Officer – he has refused to meet with the Commissioner of Police…

However, he said, "Rather than persons trying to make things personal, I would ask the Minister of Health to take his own advice and use communication as a key to ensure whatever (steps) they recommend, the police service can adhere to them and assist.”