Former police commissioner awarded $250,000 in damages.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A High Court judge on Wednesday ordered the former chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Bliss Seepersad, to pay TT$250,000 (One TT dollar = US$ 0.16) in damages to former police commissioner Gary Griffith.

Justice Kevin Ramcharan, in his ruling, found Seepersad liable for misfeasance in public office over her handling of the merit list that ranked Griffith first for reappointment as police commissioner in 2021.

The dispute centered on the withdrawal of the list after it was submitted to then President Paula-Mae Weekes on August 11, 2021, following concerns raised about information that could affect the selection process.

The case arose after Griffith’s three-year tenure as Police Commissioner ended in 2021 and he sought another term in the post.

Justice Ramcharan ruled that the PSC had the authority to withdraw the merit list before submitting it to the head of state for parliamentary approval. He also ruled that Seepersad could not unilaterally make that decision after its submission without the approval of the other Commission members.

The court found that her actions caused reputational damage to Griffith and awarded him TT$250,000, including aggravated damages, plus interest at 2.5 percent annually from the filing of the claim and legal costs.

However, the judge rejected Griffith’s claim for compensation for loss of opportunity, finding that Parliament would not have approved his recommended reappointment had it not withdrawn the merit list.