Former Commissioner of Police and National Security Minister Gary Griffith has called for the removal of Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander, following the government’s decision to revoke Preventive Detention Orders against businessman Dominic Hadeed and his wife, Genevieve Hadeed.
Speaking after the Hadeeds’ release, Griffith questioned the rationale behind invoking extraordinary emergency powers when authorities could not gather sufficient evidence to lay criminal charges. He argued that the use of Preventive Detention Orders (PDOs) in such circumstances demands close scrutiny.
Griffith also criticized the current legal framework, which grants the Minister of Homeland Security authority to issue PDOs. He contends that this power should rest solely with the Commissioner of Police, warning that political involvement opens the door to potential abuse.
According to Griffith, if intelligence cannot be developed into evidence capable of supporting criminal charges, authorities should not rely on emergency detention as an alternative. He pointed to the Hadeeds’ case as evidence of shortcomings in the country’s intelligence-gathering process.
Minister Alexander, however, defended his decision to revoke the orders, citing constitutional rights, recommendations from the Review Tribunal, medical information related to Dominic Hadeed, and the Privy Council’s refusal to expedite the matter. He maintained that the criminal investigation into an alleged assassination plot remains active, and the Hadeeds will continue to be monitored.
