Top cop remains on suspension, demand for reinstatement ignored

April 20 passed without the reinstatement of suspended Commissioner of Police Wendel Robinson who, on April 13 demanded this and a restoration of his full pay by April 20 or he would sue the Police Service Commission.
His demand was made in a letter to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Kelvin John. On April 5, the commission suspended Robinson with half pay, pending the outcome of a probe into allegations that he had made unwanted sexual advances to three male colleagues and that he victimised one of them for turning down his advances.
Efforts to reach Robinson, his lawyer Sir Richard Cheltenham and commission chairman John for comment over the weekend were unsuccessful, but police sources in Antigua said the top cop was not reinstated.
“Mr. Atlee Rodney is still acting police commissioner and Wade his deputy. I don’t foresee this will change any time soon,” one source said.
According to that source, John was off island up to late yesterday and no letter had been issued on his behalf by the PSC and the body did not meet in his absence.
Robinson threatened to sue the PSC which he said violated the law when it suspended him, by: “acting ultra vires; not complying with the rules of fair play, natural justice and due process; acting in a manner which is inconsistent with established practices and protocols; committing errors of law; failing to give any or any adequate reasons for the punitive steps taken; failing to take relevant considerations into account; abusing its authority; acting without administrative consistency and; violating the Commissioner’s legitimate expectations.”
Last week, former Commissioner of Police Rawlston Pompey weighed in on the matter, saying Robinson’s lawyer did not use the correct procedure to challenge the decision of the PSC.
Pompey said, “He [should] have appealed to the Public Service Board of Appeal. That is the procedure as laid down in the Constitution. The Constitution provides for appeals from two