00:00The issue surrounds Legal Notices 648 and 649, both dated August 18, which were published by the State on Thursday
00:08under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act.
00:12The notices, which can be located via the government printree, surrounded traffic restrictions in Port of Spain for CPL, as
00:20well as the ORIMA Town Hall reopening ceremony.
00:22The powers to grant such restrictions fall under Section 68-1 of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, which
00:31gives the powers of restrictions to the Office of the Commissioner of Police.
00:35Thursday's publications have affixed to them J. Benjamin, Acting Commissioner of Police.
00:42However, police sources have noted that the publication made by the TTPS for Legal Notice 648, via which DCP Jr.
00:51Benjamin's signature is affixed, does not have the Acting Commissioner title associated to his name.
00:58This publication has Benjamin's signature and under it, for Commissioner of Police.
01:04The TTPS has yet to officially publish Legal Notice 649 on their end, which treats with the CPL traffic restrictions.
01:14The Express was told that there appeared to be an error in the state's publication, which did not originate from
01:21the TTPS.
01:23DCP Benjamin declined to comment on the issue today when contacted by the Express, and attempts to reach Commissioner Guevaro
01:30were unsuccessful.
01:31However, PNM Chairman Marvin Gonzalez is arguing that the TTPS's publication, signed by Benjamin, did not erase the issue, and
01:41may have in fact compounded his arguments.
01:45He further questioned if the publication of the notices provided evidence that Benjamin had acted as Commissioner while Guevaro was
01:53out of the jurisdiction.
01:54He reiterated that Benjamin had not been taken before Parliament for approval to act as Commissioner, and that Benjamin himself
02:03had publicly acknowledged that he had received no communication from the Police Service Commission concerning his appointment.
02:10Gonzalez said the Constitution provided a process for appointing an Acting Commissioner of Police and questioned whether that process had
02:19been followed.
02:20Gonzalez further questioned the validity of the legal notices.
02:24Re הצOr
02:24Re16
02:25Re17
