Gilian Lucky should decide if she wants to be a Politician or neutral Head of the PCA

Dear Editor

“While she has a private right to express her view,  that private right has now crossed into the domain of her public responsibility and it has begun to havea most foul odour.”

I note with interest that Ms Gilian Lucky is now an advocate for everything under the sun. I am afraid that her last article to the Guardian in which she openly attacks the government on the matter of the precepting of Police Officers raises a lot of issues for me with respect to her position as Head of the Police Complaints Authority. It is clear that she has taken a negative view of the Government and as such has compromised her position, one where she is expected to be neutral.

Further her language has demonstrated that she has a low opinion of the government and therefore can no longer  be considered  to be  neutral.

Suppose a matter comes before her where it is known that the Police Officer or the complaining member of the public is supportive of the Government, can they expect to be fairly treated. Ms Lucky also has a TV program on IETV where comments about the government which are negative are also promoted. Her reference in her last article to the government caught in a monkey pants is regrettable since it sees her as actually enjoying and sneering at the position of the Government in this debate. To quote her, “Instead of accepting that it acted hastily without giving thorough analysis of the proposed legislation and the impact of the provisions, the Government has now found itself in a monkey pants which even its best charlatans will find difficult to talk itself out of “

To describe members of the government as charlatans is derogatory and absolutely defamatory. But again here is another instance where public bashing of the government is a free for all and the government is not expected to respond. What is even more incredible is that the Editors of the Guardian allow such derogatory comments to be made in the name of journalism.

Again, may I ask with what authority is Ms Lucky entering the Flying Squad matter and with what intent if not only to get at the government. While she has a private right to express her view, that private right has now crossed into the domain of her public responsibility and it has begun to have a foul odour.

Ms Lucky should decide if she wants to be a Politician or a neutral Head of the Police Complaints Authority. In the current scenario a case for bias against her is easily formulated. But then Ms Lucky is not known to be a team player but a maverick of sorts. Remember when she chose to remain an Independent UNC in the Parliament joined by another maverick Dr Fuad Khan.

By the way, what relief has she brought to the thousands of victims who have been reporting to the PCA. It forces me to ask the following. Is her public PR justgimmicks and a mask for the inefficiency of the PCA under her tenure

Ramnarace Maharaj – Penal Rock Road