In less than a week, Insp Michael Seales moved from what he deemed was the “lowest point in his life to one of the highest.”
Two Wednesdays ago, on June 22, Seales was charged with making seditious comments arising out of a live television interview last year.
On Monday, however, despite having these charges still hanging over his head, Seales was voted as the president of the T&T Police Service Social and Welfare Association (TTPSSWA).
The Sunday Guardian conducted an interview with Seales about his ascension in the midst of trying circumstances.
“It was the lowest part of my life, you know, with having to face what I am now facing (being charged),” Seales said.
The situation arose out of a statement made by Seales during a live television interview on June 24, last year.
During that interview, Seales claimed that the former People’s Partnership government was using wage negotiations with the Police Service to frustrate officers and force a reaction which would be a reason to call a state of emergency and delay the general election scheduled for September 7.
Seales, then the TTPSSWA’s secretary, was suspended from the Police Service on June 25.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Deodath Dulalchan was appointed to conduct an investigation into Seales’ conduct.
On June 22, Seales appeared before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court charged with making seditious comments on June 24, 2015, at Independence Square in Port-of-Spain. Seales was charged under Chapter 11:04 Section 4 (1) (B) of the Sedition Act.
According to Section 8 of the Act, “Unless otherwise provided, every person guilty of an offence under this Act is liable on summary conviction, to a fine of $5,000 and to imprisonment for two years.”
Seales said, “I was actually surprised that (being charged) took place. I thought that was always a contemplation but I was hoping that it was never going to happen, but it did happen.
“So what I had to do was appeal to some of the people in the membership (of the TTPSSWA) and say ‘alright, this has happened, do you want me to continue?’
“When I got home the evening after it happened, I did not go to sleep until after four o’clock the next morning because I received a lot of WhatsApp messages, a lot of telephone calls, and people came to my home and people stayed with me until after four that morning and the people who came said, ‘Let’s not give up. Continue to still run for president of the association. Please don’t give up, we will support you,’ and because of that, I said I would not give up,” Seales said.
Seales said some people have questioned the timing between the day the charge was laid and the TTPSSWA election, five days apart.
The Sunday Guardian asked his opinion on the matter.
“The issue with relation to the timing I cannot say, I will not say. People in the TTPSSWA membership have expressed their own views but at the end of the day, I would just say I have moved from the lowest point of my life to one of the highest points in my life in less than a week,” Seales said.
On Monday’s election, Seales received 785 votes to become TTPSSWA president.
Seales’ slate Police Empowerment Party (PEP) won each post they contested.
Seales’ successor Insp Anand Ramesar is now the association’s general secretary.
Following the election, both men have switched roles at the TTPSSWA.
“It was really easy for us to make that switch and we have labelled it not a transition but a continuation of our service because both Ramesar and I share the same values, the same dreams in terms of where we want to see the Police Service and the association go, so it was easy for us to say let’s continue the momentum and try to just improve things,” Seales said.
Seales, who has been in the Police Service for more than 27 years, has vowed to represent the association to the best of his ability.
He said he intends to address the issue of houses for police officers, job evaluation, grievance procedures and the absorption of Special Reserved Police (SRP) officers during his term as president.
Seales thanked the TTPSSWA members and his family for their support during this trying time in his life.
Seales’ wife, Nicole Hospedales, was allowed to be his surety for the sedition charges.
‘I’m leaving it all up to God’
Seales was given the all-clear to contest the TTPSSWA’s elections after president of the election committee Sgt Toolah Julien received legal advice.
The issue of Seales being a suspended police officer in charge of the association is another matter that requires further legal advice, Julien said.
The two other candidates for the post of president have take objection to Seales leading the association.
Insp Richard Taylor, who represented the Vanguards, said Seales being before the courts for a criminal matter and leading the association will taint the public’s perception of the TTPSSWA.
Cpl Darlington Francis who represented Police for Police questioned the issue of a suspended officer leading the association.
Seales said he was leaving it all up to God.