The Ulster Unionist Party’s Policing Board representative, Alan Chambers MLA, has said that Gerry Kelly’s comments regarding who might be appointed as Chief Constable have not repaired the damage caused by Mary Lou McDonald’s ill-advised intervention.
Alan Chambers MLA said:
“Gerry Kelly’s attempt to clear up the mess caused by Mary Lou McDonald’s comments as to who is or not capable of becoming Chief Constable of the PSNI has raised more questions than answers.
“It was telling that it took 15 minutes of an interview with Stephen Nolan on BBC Radio, before Gerry Kelly was moved to say that there were ‘clearly people in the PSNI capable to apply for this job.’
“You don’t need to be a wordsmith to recognise that this is a play on words. Being regarded as capable of applying for a job does not necessarily mean you are capable of being appointed.
“In all honesty what else could Gerry Kelly say? Sinn Fein members on the Policing Board have to put some distance between themselves and their Party Leader’s comments or they themselves will be wide open to the possibility of legal action and employment tribunals from unsuccessful candidates.
“Unless Sinn Fein’s representatives on the Policing Board publicly disassociate themselves from their Party Leader’s comments, doubts will inevitably arise as to their ability to act impartially in terms of senior staff appointments, and that is in nobody’s interests.”