Donaldson-Honeywell said last week Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs did not have the authority to enter into the procurement agreement with a local company in the amount of more than $900,000.
She advised the Government that Gibbs acted “without authority” in the award of the contract to Zenith Air Scout Surveillance Aircraft and that the contract "will be ultra vires and void".
Gibbs issued a a statement on Sunday to say the point with respect to procurement was inaccurate since the light aircraft was being leased, not purchased.
However Ramlogan told the Express newspaper Gibbs missed the point. “It has nothing to do with lease or purchase," the AG said.
"The issue is not whether he leased or purchased, that is a miss-the-mark. The issue as I understand for the Solicitor General’s advice is the quantum of the expenditure.” He said the rules apply to expenditure whether it was for a lease of purchase.
Ramlogan said the Solicitor General’s advice is his advice. “She cannot issue an advice unless I approve it. So in the covering letter I sent out I indicated my concurrence with the issue,” he said.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has planned a meeting to discuss the issue.
The Leader of the Opposition, Keith Rowley, told reporters Monday the whole matter of a Commissioner of Police being accused of procuring improperly and of exceeding his authority makes people uncomfortable.
“And worse we have a Commissioner of Police saying to the Prime Minister and Solicitor General that they could go and shove that where they want because he is going to proceed on his advice that he is right. We wait with bated breath to see how this one is going to play out,” said Rowley.
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