In a public statement dated August 11, 2026, Deputy Transport Officer Peter Williams has publicly backed the long-discussed creation of new Assistant Chief Transport Officer positions, framing the restructuring as a necessary evolution to meet the agency’s expanding regional operational needs. The proposal, which has been circulating within the department for nearly a decade, gained renewed attention this week after it was revealed that Police Corporal Jhawn Gamboa is the top candidate linked to one of the newly created roles.
Williams clarified a widespread misconception around the new position, emphasizing that Assistant Chief Transport Officer is a distinct role separate from the existing Deputy Chief Transport Officer post, a detail that has been misrepresented in early public discussion. He explained that the push for structural change stretches back to the tenure of former CEO Marconi Leal, when department leaders first began reviewing the agency’s organizational chart and hierarchy to address gaps in regional leadership. Under the current proposal, two Assistant Chief Transport Officers will be appointed to oversee regional divisions, providing additional support to the Deputy Chief and Chief Transport Officer, rather than functioning as a direct replacement for existing senior leadership.
The announcement has not come without controversy. Reporters have pressed Williams on whether the timing of the new roles is designed to erode his authority within the ministry and potentially push him out of his current position. When asked directly if he perceived any attempt to unseat him through the restructuring, Williams declined to comment on the record, leaving unanswered questions about internal power dynamics within the department.
Additional scrutiny has fallen on the candidacy of Jhawn Gamboa, with public speculation that his connection to Superintendent Aaron Gamboa, a senior law enforcement official, gave him an unfair advantage in the selection process. Responding to these claims, Superintendent Gamboa strongly denied allegations of nepotism, asserting that any potential appointment for Jhawn Gamboa would be based solely on professional merit and qualifications, rather than family ties.
This report is adapted from a verbatim transcript of an evening television news broadcast, with original Kriol language statements standardized to conform to official spelling conventions for published distribution.