Last Updated on June 15, 2022, 8:35 AM AST by Anthony Morris
UNC Coordinator for Diego Martin West is today taking the leader of Government business to task for a media release dated 13th June 2022, entitled “Better than that Senior Counsel Kamla Persad-Bissessar”
Walker immediately noted the continued personal insults by the Minister of Housing, referring to the Opposition Leader’s silk appointment and the usual spreading of misinformation by the PNM in a weak attempt to deflect and distract.
Walker reminded the Minister of Housing that Section 34 was voted on unanimously by her PNM colleagues both in the upper and lower house. The UNC coordinator added that unlike Paragraph 4 that led to the collapse of the PolSC, Section 34 received support from everyone, including Independent Senators and if she goes back to the Hansard Records she would see that PNM, during their debate, claimed the bill to be their own.
Walker also pointed to the fact, that according to the signed Affidavit by Ishwar Galbaransingh, Steve Ferguson and himself were both represented by PNM lawyers, which means it stood to reason that the duo trying to seek any benefit from Section 34 would probably have been on the advice of their PNM lawyer.
Walker took the opportunity to remind Robinson-Regis that Section 34 remained good law and it never actually benefitted the businessmen, who by all evidence seem to have been and always will be PNM Financiers.
She went on to remind the apparently seasoned yet uninformed politician that it was a PNM Attorney General who made the extradition of PNM businessmen impossible. Adding that maybe Camille ought to go speak to John Jeremie and avail herself of his letter that provided all the security needed by Galbaransingh and Ferguson.
Walker called Camille’s reference to Section 34 a typical and now predictable PNM strategy to grab at straws when their backs are against the wall, pointing to Rowley’s focus on the Sabga report while children from the Judith Jones report remain unaccounted for.
As for Camille’s defence of Armour’s silence, Walker suggested she leave the law to the lawyers adding that many suitably qualified persons from the legal fraternity have in fact expressed their professional disappointment, quoting attorney at law and head of Tobago Business Chambers, Martin George as saying “The AG’s silence on the matter does not appear to be a response which ought to be acceptable to citizens as we have a duty to call upon our public officials to be responsible for their actions and in this circumstance it is clear that there is need for there to be greater transparency and responsibility”.
Walker ended her media release with a call for Robinson-Regis to take advice from senior counsel Avory Sinanan – “One has to take a mature and impartial and neutral view of what has taken place. Put it under the microscope, analyse it and determine whether there has been, in fact, egregious behaviour on the part of the Attorney General, and then take it from there,” adding that the senior counsel also thought the Law Association should have raised an alarm earlier, though he commended them for raising the matter in the public domain.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
