Nizam meets Max; it's business as usual for PSC chairman

Nizam Mohammed had a two-hour meeting Friday with President Max Richards to discuss his controversial statements of an ethnic imbalance in the Police Service and told reporters afterwards that it's business as usual - he is still the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

"We were discussing the issue that is at hand and the discussions are continuing," Mohammed told reporters who wanted to get details of the meeting. He reiterated his position that he didn't do anything that was wrong.

"I didn't come expecting that my appointment was going to be revoked," he said, adding that Richards did not express an opinion on whether his statements were right or wrong. He was emphatic that he has no intention of resigning.

On Monday the government issued a strongly worded condemnation of Mohammed for what it called his divisive statements. It said the People's Partnership did not share Mohammed's "reckless" views and added that the PSC chairman should be held accountable.

The next day Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar met with the president as did opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley. While the PM did not disclose what she and Richards discussed Rowley said he asked that Mohammed be fired.

Only the president has the authority to fire the members of independent commissions such as the PSC.