Former Grenada Primer Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell has filed an official complaint with new Prime Minister, Tillman Thomas about the manner in which newly appointed Commissioner of Police, James Clarkson was performing his duties.
A well-placed source told GRENADA TODAY that Mitchell's letter was sent Monday to Prime Minister Thomas at his Botanical Gardens office in St. George's.
He could not say whether the contents of the letter was discussed at Monday's weekly Cabinet meeting.
According to the source, the main complaint from the ex-Grenadian leader is an allegation that Clarkson might be engaged in leaking to the local media those changes that he would be making among the senior officers within the force.
He spoke of Dr. Mitchell indicating that he was not happy since the media had the upcoming changes in advance and reporting on them long before the affected officers knew anything about them.
He said that in the letter Mitchell just stopped short of calling for Clarkson's removal from the post.
Prior to leaving RGPF in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, relations were somewhat strained between Clarkson, then a Deputy Commissioner of police and Mitchell who held the post of Minister of National Security.
Clarkson is said to have told Mitchell at a meeting at his private home in Happy Hill that the then Prime Minister should take full blame and responsibility for the bad performance of the police force during the hurricane.
The new chief COP reportedly told Mitchell that he (the ex-Prime Minister) had been interfering too much in the internal affairs of the force and was not allowing then Commissioner of Police, Fitzroy Bedeau to perform his duties.
Mitchell is said to have denied the assertion. Within months, Clarkson's services were not retained when his contract expired.
A government insider told this newspaper that new Prime Minister Thomas is unlikely to pay any heed to Mitchell's complaint about Clarkson's performance.
He said the feeling in the new administration is that Clarkson was given a job to head the force at this point in time and there was no need for any government interference in the internal affairs of RGPF.
He dropped hints that the recent transfers among Superintendents of Police as undertaken by the new Commissioner might not be to the liking of Mitchell.
A few police officers, suspected of being closely aligned to the ousted New National Party (NNP) regime were re-assigned to new posting by Commissioner Clarkson.
The source said that Prime Minister Thomas continues to maintain his position that he would not entertain any form of private discussion with police officers on an individual basis on matters pertaining to the operations of the force.
"If you know Tilly (Prime Minister Thomas), he does not believe in gossip and no police officer will be able to bring news to him on others in the force", he remarked.
"Absolutely, no police officer could go up to the Botanical Gardens and ask to see the Prime Minister to talk to him about anything stupid going on in the force. He (Thomas) is just not that kind of person", he said.
