Former Trinidad Commissioner wins lawsuit against former Police Service Commission chairman

Former police commissioner Gary Griffith has won his lawsuit against former Police Service Commission (PolSC) chairman Bliss Seepersad over her handling of a merit list that ranked him first for reappointment in 2021, with the High Court awarding him TT$250,000 in damages.

In a judgment delivered Wednesday, High Court Judge Kevin Ramcharan found Seepersad liable for misfeasance in public office, ruling that she acted unlawfully when she withdrew the list after it had been submitted to then-President Paula-Mae Weekes on August 11, 2021.

Griffith's three-year contract as commissioner of police had ended in August 2021, and he was among the candidates seeking another term. The Police Service Commission conducted a selection process that year, with Griffith emerging at the top of the order of merit list submitted to Weekes.

The list contained four names: Griffith, Jason Francis, Andre Norton and Erla Harewood-Christopher.

However, the list was withdrawn shortly after it was delivered to the President, prompting questions about the circumstances surrounding the decision and the authority under which it was made.

The dispute centred partly on information Seepersad received from then-Prime Minister Keith Rowley, who was also chairman of the National Security Council, concerning a report containing allegations that could affect the selection process.

Justice Ramcharan found that the commission had the authority to withdraw an order of merit list before it was submitted to the President. He accepted that the information received by Seepersad justified retrieving the list initially, but ruled that her decision after its submission required the approval of the other commission members.

The judge found that Seepersad had acted unilaterally and that the required approval had not been obtained.

He awarded Griffith TT$250,000, including aggravated damages, for the reputational harm caused by her actions. The award also carries interest at 2.5 per cent annually from the filing of the claim, along with legal costs.

However, the judge rejected Griffith's claim for compensation for the loss of an opportunity to be reappointed for another three-year term. He found that there was no guarantee Parliament would have approved the recommendation and that Griffith had not established that he suffered financial loss as a result.

The lawsuit, filed in 2024, sought damages for reputational injury and the loss of the opportunity to return to the post.

Griffith was represented by Larry Lalla, SC, Nicholas Persad and Taruna Mangroo. Seepersad was represented by Deborah Peake, SC, and Ravi Heffes-Doon.