Penny to Kamla, Sturge: Why was army chief sent on leave?

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles reads a copy of the August 10 Sunday Newsday at a PNM meeting in Pleasantville, San Fernando on August 12. - Innis Francis

OPPOSITION LEADER Pennelope Beckles is demanding information over the government's sudden decision to send the commanding officer of the regiment Col Keston Charles on 605 days' leave effective August 8, and then withdrawing the decision in 48 hours.

Speaking at a PNM meeting in Pleasantville, San Fernando on August 12, Beckles held up a copy of the August 10 Sunday Newsday – headlined Army Shake-up: Regiment commander sent of 605 days' leave – as she called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the head of the National Security Council, and Defence Minister Wayne Sturge to provide clarity on the matter.

Beckles questioned why Charles was recalled to duty after just one day and why a replacement was appointed from 13th in the rank order, bypassing more senior officers. She also questioned what role, if any, the Public Service Commission played in the decision.

The Opposition Leader linked the incident to a similar move, after Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander directed acting Prisons Commissioner Carlos Corraspe to take 240 days’ vacation leave, appointing Hayden Forde to act in his place. Both changes came during the ongoing state of emergency (SoE) which was declared on July 18 after Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro said inmates at the Maximum Security Prison were plotting with co-conspirators outside to unleash a wave of murders targeting key justice and law enforcement officers among other crimes.

Beckles told supporters the public must have confidence in the government’s handling of national security, especially during an SoE.

She alleged that a case was being built against Corraspe based on false claims and questioned the rationale for Charles’s brief leave and quick reinstatement.

She recalled, “the big story about the find of a television inside a cell and when you hear the real story, that was a total lie.

“The next thing you know the head of the prison gone home. Then you come and tell the regiment chief to take your 605 days leave, but one day later tell him to come back. Why?” she asked.

“One has to remember that the Chief of Defence Staff has to take instructions from his line minister and the line minister in this instance is Wayne Sturge.”

She pressed Sturge to confirm whether he instructed Daniel to send Charles home and promote Edwards over more senior officers.

Charles, who is in charge of the troops at the various encampments of the regiment, was informed by Chief of Defence Staff Air Vice Marshal Darryl Daniel, to proceed on 605 days' leave on August 8 and was instructed to handover leadership of the regiment to Lt Col Dwayne Edwards at regiment headquarters on August 9.

However, on August 10, Sturge informed Daniel to rescind the instructions retroactively to August 8, Newsday was reliably informed.

There has been no response to WhatsApp queries by this newspaper seeking to get a response on the matter from Persad-Bissessar, Sturge and Daniel.

According to a recent seniority listing of the Defence Force, Edwards is the 13 highest ranking officer and has acted as commanding officer of the regiment in Charles' absence.

Senior military officers said the decision to leapfrog Edwards over other senior soldiers who were ahead of him paved the way for possible litigation.

The decision to send Charles on leave came a day after Corraspe was suddenly sent on 240 days' leave. Alexander said his decision was "strategic" and not linked to the SoE.

Several high-risk prisoners who were confined to Building 13 at the Maximum Security Prison were removed by police and soldiers in the early hours of July 18 and transferred to facilities at the army and coast guard bases in Chaguaramas in an attempt to limit their ability to communicate with their co-conspirators. A total of 18 others have been detained under the Emergency Powers Regulations linked to serious crimes.

Guevarro said in a television interview on August 13, the threat which prompted the call of the SoE has been contained and efforts were now being made to dismantle the organised criminal gangs.

Beckles also raised concerns about reported shortages of food rations and supplies at Coast Guard headquarters, Staubles Bay, where high-risk prisoners from the Maximum Security Prison are being held. She demanded that adequate provisions are available for security personnel assigned to guard the prisoners.

“Down there in Staubles Bay, the ration is short. I want them (government) to come tomorrow to say that is not true. I also want them to come and say whether or not they have enough stationery and all the appropriate resources down there in Staubles Bay.

“They want to give the whole world the impression our prison at Golden Grove, everything wrong with it and you have to take everybody (prisoners) and carry them Staubles Bay, but in doing so, you not feeding our regiment.”

While reaffirming the PNM’s support for the SoE and for legislation in the country’s best interest, Beckles cautioned that laws – such as the proposed stand your ground measure – must be scrutinised to prevent unintended consequences.

“We have to be very careful that legislation does not come back to bite us,” she said.