A former Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court judge, James (Jimmy) Bristol KC, has sharply criticized the Grenada Public Service Commission (PSC) for its handling of the forced retirement of former Superintendent of Police, Tafawa Pierre. Bristol, who also served as attorney general, described the move as an “overreaching” violation of constitutional rights during a recent podcast appearance on The Bubb Report. Pierre, a veteran officer with over three decades of service, was reportedly pressured to resign after the Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell, expressed a loss of confidence in his ability to perform his duties. This decision was allegedly influenced by Pierre’s wife, Emmalin Pierre, who is the leader of the main opposition New National Party (NNP) and the Opposition Leader in Parliament. Bristol argued that the PSC’s actions were unconstitutional, citing Section 84 of the Constitution, which mandates that public officers can only be removed for disciplinary reasons and through proper procedures. He dismissed the PSC’s claim of a conflict of interest as baseless, stating that such a conflict would only arise if Pierre were directly involved in investigating his wife, which was not the case. Bristol further emphasized that Pierre’s exemplary service record made the forced retirement unjustifiable and politically motivated. He suggested that Pierre could seek legal redress for vindicatory damages, referencing precedents in similar cases. Daisy Hazzard, President of the Grenada Public Service Commission and the Caribbean Public Service Association (CPSA), also expressed concerns about the case, highlighting the importance of fairness, due process, and the PSC’s independence. Hazzard noted that the PSC’s rules and regulations do not support dismissal based on a spouse’s political affiliation and urged Pierre to pursue formal redress if he believes his rights were violated. Both Bristol and Hazzard warned that such actions undermine good governance and the rule of law in Grenada.
