Gary Griffith

Gary Griffith is a former commissioner of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, serving between August 2018 to August 2021 Under the previous government, led by a coalition including the party currently in Opposition, he had been appointed as Minister of National Security in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday 6 September 2013.

Between May 2010 and September 2013, he served as National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister. Griffith was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force for 15 years, where he attained the rank of captain in 1998. He retired his Commissioned Officer position in May 2005. This attainment to the rank of captain was achieved after just six years service, which was an unprecedented achievement. He was the first military officer from this country to return home with a United Nations Peacekeeping Medal.

Political affiliations In September 2000, Captain Griffith was personally requested by the prime minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Basdeo Panday, to be reassigned to work directly with the prime minister, initially as the Comptroller of the Prime Minister's Residence. He was appointed as the military attaché to the prime minister, whereby Captain Griffith acquired several other responsibilities. His role became similar to that of the aide de camp to the president. Hence, he was also required to accompany the prime minister at most of his engagements. In 2022, Gary Griffith formed a new political party, the National Transformation Alliance (NTA).

Removal from office On 2 February 2015 the former Minister of National Security, Gary Griffith and former attorney general Anand Ramlogan were revoked of their appointment to office under request by former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar, along with a call for resignation from the former director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) David West, following their roles in a witness-tampering investigation, ordered by acting police commissioner Stephen Williams.

The former prime minister also revoked the appointments of former senate president Timothy Hamel-Smith, former sports minister Rupert Griffith, former Ministry in the Works and Transport Minister Stacy Roopnarine, former minister in the National Security Ministry Embau Moheni, and former justice minister Emmanuel George. Persad-Bissessar had also given up the portfolio of Social Development and People Ministry. Griffith was succeeded by retired brigadier general Carlton Alfonso, who held the position as Minister of National Security until the general elections of 2015, in which the People's National Movement was elected into government.

The former minister later confirmed that such a call had taken place. On the night of 2 February 2015, the former prime minister addressed the public and press on the matters surrounding the investigation, in which she stated, "While I am not in a position to determine neither guilt nor innocence in this matter, it is of grave enough consequence to warrant serious consideration and immediate action." This was followed by stating that a request had been made to former president Anthony Carmona for the immediate removal of former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and former minister of national security Gary Griffith, along with the removal of former senate president Timothy Hamel-Smith, former sports minister Rupert Griffith, former Ministry in the Works and Transport Minister Stacy Roopnarine, former Minister in the National Security Ministry Embau Moheni, and former justice minister Emmanuel George.

The former prime minister subsequently requested the appointment of the former minister of legal affairs Prakash Ramadar to also serve as the minister of justice, Christine Hosein as Minister of the People and Social Development, Brent Sancho as Minister of Sport, Kwasi Mutema as Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Garvin Nicholas as Attorney General, and retired brigadier general Carlton Alfonso as Minister of National Security.

Electoral history