Police commissioner appeals court ruling blocking SSP Cameron's removal as POA chairman

Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake is appealing a Supreme Court ruling that blocked his directive to remove Senior Superintendent Wayne Cameron as chairman of the Police Officers’ Association (POA).

The notice of appeal was filed on January 23. It challenges Justice Ann-Marie Nembhard’s January 9 judgment, which also granted Cameron permission to seek judicial review of Blake’s September 8, 2025 directive.

The commissioner is challenging one of Nembhard's orders - the one that imposed the interim injunction. According to Blake, Justice Nembhard "erred" in exercising her discretion to grant the injunction.

The injunction blocks Blake, "whether acting in concert, by himself, his servants and/or agents or otherwise howsoever from directing or causing to be convened any meeting of the Police Officers’ Association for the purposes of removing the applicant (Cameron) as chairman and appointing a chairman pro tem or otherwise, pending the determination of the claim for judicial review or further orders of the court."

The POA represents over 350 senior officers, above the rank of inspector up to deputy commissioner, and is funded by salary deductions.

Justice Nembhard ruled that Cameron demonstrated "arguable grounds for judicial review with a realistic prospect of success," noting that Blake may have exceeded his authority and failed to observe principles of natural justice. She emphasised that Cameron had a procedural right to be informed and to respond before decisions affecting his role were made.

However, the police commissioner is contending that the judge misapplied the law, misinterpreted the facts, and incorrectly assessed the balance of convenience in granting the injunction, and concluding that there was a serious issue to be tried.

"The learned judge erred in concluding that the respondent demonstrated arguable grounds for judicial review with a realistic prospect of success, in circumstances where the applicable law and evidence did not support such a conclusion," said Blake's notice of appeal filed in the Court of Appeal.

"The matter is before the court and we are very confident in our position," said King's Counsel Peter Champagnie on Monday. He and attorneys Neco Pagon and Sayeed Bernard are representing the commissioner.

Blake’s September 2025 directive had ordered the POA chairmanship vacated. In court documents he cited "glaring contradictions and irregularities" in the association’s unaudited accounts and a failure to hold an Annual General Meeting since 2022.

He has contended the action was necessary to "safeguard funds contributed by over 350 senior officers" and was not politically motivated.

Cameron’s lead attorney Lemar Neale applied for the injunction and permission to seek judicial review on September 10, 2025.

Cameron is arguing that the commissioner had interfered in the internal governance of an incorporated body, an act he described as "political victimisation" in retaliation for a grievance Cameron filed with the Office of the Services Commissions.

"We have been served the notice of appeal and we will be resisting the appeal as we believe that the judge properly exercised her discretion in granting the injunction," said Neale.

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