September 20, 2012
My fellow citizens, much has been commented and reported upon the Administration of Justice (Indictable Offences) Act 201 and the proclamation of Section 34. I chose to remain silent on the matter since any premature pronouncement could have been deemed injudicious and appear to influence the outcome of my own investigations and examination of the issue.
As Prime Minister my first task was to convene a special sitting of Parliament to repeal the proclamation of Section 34 as soon as the views of the DPP on this matter were made known to the Attorney General. This action was taken within twenty four hours of the DPP’s expressed views to the Attorney General.
My second consideration was to examine all the facts and to conduct enquiries with various individuals both within and without the government. Even as it was generally agreed that the piece of legislation was unanimously passed by both sides of the House with full support of all members of the government, opposition and independent senators, the questions that still remained were how did Section 34 gain the support of all members of Parliament and why was it proclaimed early?
To arrive at an answer and judgement on these matters a number of considerations have to be made.
THREE PILLARS OF GOVERNMENT
We have a parliamentary system of Government modeled on the Westminster System of the United Kingdom. This is a legacy of our colonial past which we have in common with many of our sister nations in the Commonwealth. Such a system is premised on three important institutional pillars, the independence of each being is vital and fundamental to our democracy. These pillars are the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary or Put another way, the Government, the Parliament and the Courts. These institutions are the tripod upon which our democratic system of governance rests. They are separate and independent of each other and must hence be duly respectful of each other.
I preface my comments with these words so that you can appreciate and place the present controversy over Section 34 in its proper context.
THE TWO ISSUES
As Prime Minister and Head of the Cabinet I have taken cognizance of the debate both within and without Parliament and the comments made on the passage and proclamation of Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Offences) Act 201. There are two areas of concern:-
(1) The Bill including Section 34 was passed by both Houses of Parliament with the full support of the Opposition and Independent benches;
(2) Cabinet agreed to the prior partial proclamation of section 34 as a prelude to the proclamation of the rest of the Act.
The underlying rationale of this legislation was the laudable objective of freeing up the wheels of the administration of justice and an attempt to address the intractable endemic delay in the dispensation of criminal justice. It was a bold blow for the promotion of efficiency. It was a notion subscribed to by all stakeholders in the Parliament and Senate.
PARLIAMENT PASSED SECTION 34: NO CONSPIRACY
With respect to the first point, I cannot speak for the Parliament as it comprises not only representatives of the Government but Opposition and Independent benches. Parliament is not the Government and the Government is not the Parliament.
Suffice it to say, I note that several persons who are currently voicing objections some with unnecessary vitriol and vituperation, to Section 34 not only participated in the Parliamentary debate on this matter, but also voted in favor of this measure. Indeed, I note that some independent senators voted against the repeal of section 34.
It was therefore, the Parliament in its collective wisdom that gave birth to Section 34. Whenever the Act was proclaimed (whether partially or in its entirety), applications under Section 34 would have been possible. – it targeted no particular persons, it was not designed to protect any sectional interests. IT WAS A DEVELOPMENTAL MEASURE IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL PERSONS WHO FOUND THEMSELVES FALLING WITHIN THE PROVISION as agreed to by members of the Opposition in the Parliament and Senate as well as independent senators! It is important to remember that Section 34 would never have been proclaimed at any time had it not been unanimously approved in the Parliament and the Senate without a single abstention or dissenting voice.
Whilst it would be unwise for me to speculate on some or all of the reasons Parliament approved section 34, I reject and dismiss the idea that section 34 was passed as part of some grand conspiracy designed to benefit certain individuals. Such a conspiracy would necessarily have to involve the government, the opposition and the independent benches since it was approved by all those groups. That kind of accusation is both fanciful and incredible.
The Opposition, to this moment, has refused to acknowledge that whether Section 34 was proclaimed now, then or later their support of it and indeed the independent senators cannot be ignored.
If Section 34 was bad now it would have been bad on January 31st as well notwithstanding the fact that early proclamation should never have occurred.
So having established shared responsibility by all members of Parliament for its very existence the only other question remained how did Section 34 come to be proclaimed earlier than intended? The answer lies in the Cabinet note on August 6th 2012 and the discussions that took place at that time.
I have reviewed this matter and wish to share with you my thoughts on same. What are the facts? What is the truth?
(a) The Bill approved by the LRC and cabinet did not contain the version of Section 34 which was eventually approved and passed by both the Lower and Upper Houses.
(b) There was an amendment to section 34 in the Senate which was unanimously approved. This amendment changed the limitation on prosecution of certain offences from 10 years from the date of charge to ten years from the date of the offence. No one considered then (as some seem to suggest by innuendo now ) that this change was any nefarious ploy born of some ulterior motive .
(c) The change made in, and approved by, the Senate, effectively introduced a limitation period of 10 (ten) years for the prosecution of crimes. It effectively meant that you could not prosecute someone for certain crimes if more than 10 (ten) years had elapsed from the day the offence was committed or since the defendant first appeared in court.
(d) On August 6th 2012 the Honorable Minister of Justice tabled a note before the Cabinet which sought Cabinet’s approval to proclaim the Act with effect from January 1st 2013. The note also sought approval for the early proclamation inter alia, of Section 34 on the basis that it was necessary to (and I quote…)
‘Facilitate a seamless operational transition and … give authority for the recruitment and appointment of Master’s of the High Court by the Judicial and Legal Service Commission in order that the Act may be operationalised on its effective date of January 1st 2013.” End of quote.
I specifically inquired of the Honorable Minister of Justice whether the Honorable Chief Justice and the DPP were consulted on these measures. The Honorable Minister of Justice drew my attention to paragraph five of the note which stated that the Honorable Chief Justice had been consulted on the date for proclamation. He then confirmed to the Cabinet that he had the support and approval of both the Chief Justice and the DPP on this matter.
The approval, by the cabinet, of this piecemeal proclamation was therefore predicated and based on the assurance and understanding that the judiciary and the DPP were adequately consulted and fully supported the earlier implementation of this measure as a precursor to rest of the Act coming into force on January 1st 2013.
(e) In accordance with the established practice and procedure, a Cabinet minute was subsequently issued directly to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel for the preparation of the draft proclamation. This draft is then sent from the CPC to the Cabinet Secretariat for onward transmission to the Office of the President.
I have spoken to the CPC and he has confirmed that the Honorable Attorney General did not participate in this process because conventionally, the Office of the CPC independently liaises with the Cabinet Secretariat and the Office of the President on such matters. I pause also to note that the AG was away on vacation during the period July 20th to August 4th.
(e) Soon after section 34 was proclaimed, the DPP expressed concerns to the Honorable AG about the implications and consequences of same. The AG sought an immediate audience with me and having examined the matter myself, I was satisfied that the consequences and far-reaching implications of this section was not consistent with Government policy. A detailed Press release was also subsequently issued by the DPP outlining his concerns about the impact and consequences of Section 34.
In the circumstances, I gave instructions for the parliament to be convened immediately to consider repealing section 34. I also summoned the cabinet to an emergency meeting to discuss the matter and ratify the decision taken by the AG and to present a Bill to repeal section 34. The government therefore moved swiftly to successfully reverse the ill-effects and unintended consequences of this section.
This demonstrates the bona fides of the government in its quest to provide good governance!
(f) Following several days of enquiry and investigation I contacted the Honorable Chief Justice to inform him about the apparent contradiction between his concern on the early proclamation and our understanding through the Cabinet note provided by the Honourable Minister of Justice and our discussions with the Minister.
I humbly requested a report on the issue. The Honorable Chief Justice provided a written report. The Honorable Chief Justice also provided notes taken at a meeting held on July 24th 2012 with a specially appointed Inter-Ministerial Committee.
(g) On Wednesday September 19th 2012, I met with the Honorable Chief Justice and DPP to discuss these issues. I am NOW satisfied that there was no prior adequate or proper consultation with either office holder on the early proclamation of Section 34. I am also satisfied that there was a legitimate expectation that on the part of the Chief Justice and the DPP that there would be no partial proclamation of the act as this assurance was given by the Minister of Justice at the last meeting of the Justice Sector Reform Committee held on July 24th 2012 and there was no subsequent meeting. Accordingly, it is implausible that they supported this measure.
The procedure in Cabinet is based on two important constitutional principles namely,
1. Individual Ministerial responsibility to the Cabinet
2. Collective responsibility of the Cabinet for decisions taken
All Ministers have a sacred duty and responsibility to the cabinet. In seeking to persuade the Cabinet to approve his/ her note, a minister has a duty to present his case objectively and accurately in the knowledge that the Cabinet will act on his assurances and representations. The Cabinet is entitled to rely and act upon the statements made. It influences, informs and guides the deliberations of the Cabinet on the particular issue.
The Cabinet, in reliance upon the assurances by the Honorable Minister of Justice regarding the support of the Honorable Chief Justice and the DPP for the measures contained in his note to Cabinet, approved the early proclamation of Section 34 and the subsequent proclamation of the rest of the Act on January 2nd 2013.
The Hon Minister of Justice had a duty to faithfully and accurately represent the position and views of the Honorable Chief Justice and the DPP. He failed to do so and the cabinet relied and acted on his assurances in good faith. His failure to do so is a serious misrepresentation and amounts to material non-disclosure of relevant facts to the Cabinet which effectively prevented it from making an informed decision.
When the concerns were first raised by the DPP I recalled that we were given assurances during that Cabinet meeting that both the DPP and Chief Justice had agreed to the early proclamation of Section 34 but it was also crucial that I did not embroil the Office of the Chief Justice in the controversy swirling around. I thank him for the dignified manner in which he chose to deal with the matter in light of the claims made in the Cabinet note and the discussions arising out of that document at the time.
It is clear that the Chief Justice never at any stage agreed to the early proclamation of Section 34 and expressed his reservations when he gave approval on the proclamation of the entire Administration of Justice (Indictable Offences) Act 201 for January 31st as agreed to by the Parliament.
From the onset of this issue I sought not to embroil the Chief Justice but could not do so when the matter of the early proclamation of Section 34 rested entirely on the erroneous advice given to the Cabinet by the Minister of Justice.
I allowed all sides on the issue to be ventilated, giving everyone their opportunity to speak and offer counsel. While I always had the authority to take any immediate action I also had the responsibility to be thorough, fair and prudent. I did advise the DPP and the Chief Justice on the decision and announcement I am about to make in deference to their esteemed positions and offered on behalf of my government our sincere and humble apologies for the misrepresentation made to cabinet of their opinions by Minister Volney.
I held a formal and candid meeting with Minister Volney today who has admitted that he erred.
In the circumstances, I wish to state that I have advised, His Excellency the Acting President Timothy Hamel Smith to immediately revoke the appointment of Mr. Herbert Volney MP as the Minister of Justice. I have also advised that Ms. Christlion Moore, attorney at law of Lambeau Village in Tobago be appointed a Senator and the Minister of Justice.
There were some both within and outside the government who called upon me to pronounce upon this matter before today.
Even as I appreciate their concerns, it was important that I did not fall prey to the vice of haste and premature judgment as it often results in ill-informed prejudicial statements. I therefore avoided making any rash or hasty statements that could be used against the people and the State by accused persons in a court of law.
I acted immediately to facilitate the swift repeal of Section 34 and initiate a review of the entire process to ascertain the facts. I chose to remain silent because premature commentary on the matter before all relevant information became available would have been injudicious.
Great care and sensitivity is required when one is considering an issue that touches and concerns the three independent arms of the State. I resisted the temptation to rush to judgment to permit an informed, fair and objective consideration of the issues raised.
The sacred oath I took to serve you as PM is one that I will continue to responsibly discharge without fear or favor in the public interest.
There is no political consideration, no personal ambition, greater than public confidence in the good governance of our nation. I will never lack the courage or willingness to forego any political gain in pursuit of the integrity demanded of all us who are called upon to serve the people. The integrity of my government will not be compromised by anyone regardless of the office they hold. The consequences of such action are clear.
I hold everyone who is entrusted to their job to be accountable and whenever I feel such trust is compromised or integrity breached I will act decisively.
In past administrations too many times too many things were overlooked or swept under the carpet because it might have been politically self serving to have done so but I would rather fall on my own political sword than choose to ignore or excuse such failings.
Whether it is non performance or breach of trust, I will not shirk in my responsibility to the people. Neither will I ever be rushed into making rash and imprudent decisions to satisfy anyone’s agenda.
In recent days we have witnessed a level of political consciousness and sensitivity that hearten me as the Leader of a democratic State.
Public apathy and indifference would have been indications of jaundiced democracy and lukewarm patriotism. Your marches, comments and blogs are positive indicators of the people’s political health.
I have listened to the voices of man on the street and the utterances of learned professionals from their respective platforms and understand some of the sources of confusion. And while I may not agree with all of the sentiments and views expressed, I embrace the debate and demonstration. It is your constitutional right to so do and we welcome those who feel so passionately about the state of the nation and its future.
As a Fifty Year old Nation we are still experiencing growing pains as we develop and mature politically but the freedom to express our views and the commitment of government to act in your interest are positive developments.
True to our word and election promise, this administration has been active in the area of Justice Reform and has proceeded on the basis of Parliamentary consensus and public support.
Let these circumstances give us all a measure of assurance that our democracy is strong, that right will also rise above wrong, that there is in place a leadership that will never allow injustice to prevail. There is no room for arrogance or deceit or dishonesty and no matter how many times it takes to remove it, I will do so. Trinidad and Tobago is stronger for this as it demonstrates that the same old way of governing is changing simply because tough decisions on integrity and performance are being made all the time.
In the past there was a general acceptance of things as just the way things were in Trinidad and Tobago. But today the status quo has changed, public expectation has changed. There is a new level of accountability and assurance that something will be done. This is the shift we can take solace from even as we face up to the challenges before us. A few years ago the people demanded the course of the nation be changed and called for a new direction, today you can all feel confident that the historic tolerance for wrong doing is over.
To the people of Trinidad and Tobago, to His Excellency the President of Trinidad and Tobago, to the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, to the Chief Justice and the DPP, on behalf of my government I express my sincerest apology. I am strengthened by the experience, firmer in my resolve to stay the course of changing the society for the better and humbled by the advice, support and encouragement received from so many.
May God Bless you all and may God bless our nation.
Thankfully this Prime Minister listens and acts in accordance with information received. This is decisive leadership and thanks to Dr.Rowley her hand has been strengthened in leading the nation forward. However, all efforts must be made to administer justice in a swift and timely manner. The extraordinary long delays and the deliberate delays of lawyers and clients not showing up for court cases must end promptly. I have not missed any of my appointments and I dont understand why cases are constantly adjourned. People must respect the justice system and a three to five year limit set for cases.
Nrver in the history of moden man in the Westen atlantic, Including Haiti ,Did corruption hit a contry as hard as it has in Trinidad and Tobago , As a trinbagoian I am ashame ,we are the laughingstock of the modern wourld ,I GUES WE WILL HAVE TO PUT THE FEW CLEAN PEOPLE IN TOBAGO AND ,TURN TRINIDAD INTO A JAIL.Too many people in Government think they are above the Law ,and allways want to tell people what they can and cannot say . So they hide behind the currupt laws they put in place to cover there ass.
What corruption? There are no secret $50 million scholarship program, there are no Toruba or Scarborough General billion dollar sink hole, there are no major cost over-run in all State projects, there are no secret SAUTT billion dollar security being established outside the law, there are no Ministers who fall out of line being defended by the PM. So tell me Allan where is the corruption you are talking about???? Or is it just a mental malady that you and all PNMites are suffering from???
And you have not even mentioned Calder Hart and the Brian manning street light contract scandal!
Do you guys really believe what you are saying? Corruption does not make the front page of the daily news unless it is exposed, but that does not mean there is no corruption.
If I am to roll with what you are saying, then I must believe that this Government is the only Government in the history of T&T, and possibly the world, that is corruption-free. I suppose we will hear next, that the Police Service is also corruption-free since the appointment of the new Minister of National Security.
I understand you all love your respective political parties, but a little word of advice – Trust in God, Not man, especially politicians.
The PM has acted after serious deliberation and investigation, in spite of the loud cries of the Opposition questioning her days of silence on the matter. Unlike the last PNM administrations and the Panday administration, the PM continued her string of firings and replacements. Despite the criticisms from the media and the Opposition, this prime minister has not given in to partisan political pressure when members of her team have broken the rules. She did not hesitate. She fired them, displaying courage and candid objectivity. These firings should not be construed as signs of weak government, but rather as indicators of an attempt to rid the nation of corruption. Previous governments did nothing when faced with corrupt members of parliament. Previous Oppositions complained bitterly but failed to take the decisive action taken by Rowley as he organized and lead those who were rightly upset by this trickery.
The prime minister now has a responsibility to closely monitor her AG. He escaped this episode.
Sameo sameo. The “awee pon tap” crowd will always comne down to “well loo wah dem black man did back den”, when they are caught doing what they do best. African Trinis need to take note of the trend that defines these Indianist, and understand that they are dealing with a mentality no different than that faced by their ancestors centuries ago while under the whip
Well done madam PM. You are the first PM who is accountable to the people and takes that responsibility seriously. No other PM ever fire any of their ministers excpet when that minister crosses them. I wish you all the best as you weed out corruption and slackness in the nation.
I feel sorry for Volney. All he was doing was what everbody else in the cabinet was doing, his own thing. Remember Volney spoke about Ministers taking 5 and 10%kickbacks so why didn’t Kamla act on this, she must know about what he speaks. Volney believe that gave him the right to do also. This fiasco is a big shame and shows clearly shows that Kamla Bissessar is no leader and only acts when the situation reaches embarassment point a la Partap, Cornelis Baptiste, Mary King. I patiently awaits the next scandal. P.s. don’t mention Jack issues scandal is his middle name.
A prime minister can act only when exact and direct evidence is available.Kickback accusations, even though they may be accurate, cannot be acted upon if there is no evidence.Jack has not been charged with breaking any laws. He was recently cleared by FIFA after all charges against him were dropped. The currency investigation in T&T was completed and again the former COP cleared him.
Anytime concrete evidence is provided, this PM has acted. And yes, more scandals are coming.We live in a nation in which corruption and duplicity have become cultural traits.
Now, Volney too, cut down.
As the PM said “people must have confidence in the government”. Strangely though Linda, Volney was a PNM party card holder until he got the call, so to Ish and Carlos. What is wrong with these PNMites… Their bad ways follow them all over the place. I guess in some ways they are helping the party.
When you do not really want to level with people, friend, lover, family, party, country, you give then a kind of sidewise explanation, and say “Ah gie them dat to hold”. This is what Ms. Bissessar did. She had two weeks since the stuff hit the fan, and this is the best she could do? The people need a better explanation of what happened here. She is dissembling, as usual. Now, one can possibly save a party in power that is sinking daily in the estimation of the people, particularly those diehard groups who thought she was Lacshmi incarnate. She is afraid that if the truth comes out there will be more defection. We are a forgiving country, people, we who call ourselves The Land of the Trinity, and rcognize a trinity of peoples living here. Continuing to lie and cover up will only increase the number of bricks tied to her neck, by her own party’s actions. Those bricks will sink her.
Never in the short history of our country has a party in power so quickly squandered the goodwill that elevated them to high office. She could keep at it, until the people themselves decare a state of emergency due to govermental incompetence. The latest blunders seem to be atached to the appointment of the new Justice Minister-tomorrow, next week? Ever? and the court order for Calder Hart to return to Trinidad and Tobago. If this government refuses to extradite Ish and Steve to stand trial in the US, for financial crimes against that country, that country them becomes a safe haven for the Calder Hart family.
We do not dare approach the Attorney General of the USA to seek their help. Ish and Steve stand in the way of help with our financial criminals. Then, their is Jack Warner who illegally transported approximately half a million US dollars, In Cash, apparently undeclared, which is contrary to their fiscal laws and ours.
Does the PM think she is dealing with a few knuckleheads from her ancestral home state? She is dealing with a coalition of very well read, politically conscious people. Wake up, ma’am, and clease the filth in your government.
You say you fired him,(Volney) he said he quit.He had said previously, that he would never quit. More muddy water. Is this a situationl truth? Is there an absolute truth somewhere here? We wnat to know the absolute truth. Nothing else would do.
Linda wrote “Wake up, ma’am, and clease the filth in your government.” This was the PNM filth has it ever been cleansed Linda????????
Corruption Allegations against the PNM 2002-2010
1. Nepotism, Patrick Manning making his wife Hazel Manning a Minister
2. Planting Missiles and Cocaine in MP Sadiq Baksh Water Tank
3. Granting Brian Manning a Gun License in 24 hours and disregarding all rules and procedures
4. Giving Brian Manning $9 million for a basketball competition ……(Has it start yet?)
5. The scandal and embarrassment of the $2 million legacy flag
6. $50 million dollars Boat that never Float
7. $45 million secret skullarship fund
8. John Rahael as Minister of Agriculture lease a house and parcel of land belonging to Caroni 1975 Ltd. To his sister
9. John Rahael as Minister of Health give his sons the contract to provide drugs for the CDAP programme
10. Penelope Beckles father got CEPEP contracts while she was an MP
11. Barry Sinanan law firm get government briefs while he was speaker of the house
12. Patrick Manning rented a house from Lenny Saith brother for $38,000 per month while the Palace was building
13. Jerry Narace Company got the contract to provide insurance for T&TEC
14. Kerwyn Garcia, husband of Christine Kangaloo, gets $530,000.brief from government
15. PNM Chairman Franklyn Khan wife get a $60 million contract days before the 2010 election
16. $5 million worth of materials from the Tobago Hospital went to develop Dr. Keith Rowley wife private project
17. Robinson-Regis husband $50,000 per month job at WASA
18. Tobago Hospital going from $136 million to over $800 million in overrun
19. Tarouba Stadium going from $275 million to over $1 billion in overrun
20. Patrick Manning call to the Marabella Police Station demanding his driver be released
21. Cocaine found in diplomatic pouch
22. Patrick Manning $240 million Palace with $3 million drapes
23. Calder Hart$368 million contract to his brother-in-law
24. $2 billion summit of no return
25. Camille Robinson-Regis credit card scandal
26. Maco Manning SIA spying on law abiding citizen
27. $650 million incomplete Legal Affairs Tower
28. $700 million incomplete Chancery Lane Complex
29. $500 million incomplete South Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA)
30. $576Million Rapid Rail feasibility study scandal
31. Dustbin Terrorist a.k.a Mr. Big still at large
32. Bombardier jet joyride
33. A condo for the Profitess/Prophetess at UTT
34. $30 million mystery Guanapo church
35. $30 Million Bamboo Networks Scandal
36. EMBD Chairman Uthara Rao using $400,000 of taxpayers’ money to pay for sexual harassment claims
37. Manning/Bakr Land Deal for Election support
38. Manning giving CJ Sat Sharma an ultimatum to “resign or else”
39. Former PNM Tresurer Andre Monteil Scandalous $110 million HMB Shares
40. T&TEC Street Lighting Scandal
41. $1.8 billion overrun on Waterfront Project
42. John Rahael connected to the Monos Island drug bust
43. Karen Nunez-Tesheira conflict of interest when she withdrew her monies from CLICO
44. Udecott Calder Hart scandal
45. Patrick Manning bolting into a Radio Station demanding 2 announcers be fired
46. Petrotrin $12 billion world GTL, Scandal
47. Making former murder accused David “Buffy” Millard coordinator of a $250 million NHA refurbishing project
48. Appointed Mark Guerra as national adviser to the URP
49. $50 Million Blimp that always Limp
50. $500,000 Skullarship grant to Louis Lee Sing daughter-in-law, Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing
These are unfortunately all FACTS.
You have missed quite a few , however.
So what you really saying is that we should take the s*** until the list of corruption gets as long as this or even longer? This is not just about corruption in government my friend. This goes way deeper. We are talking collusion. We are talking PASSING OF LAWS to protect persons who have a right to be facing up to their crimes. We are talking betraying the trust of an entire country and treating us like idiots. I could publish a list too, but what would that prove?
It is my firm belief that the reason we changed government is that we wanted transparency and integrity. Since that has obviously and glaringly failed, no amount of regurgitating the misdeeds of the PNM will help. Only the truth will set them free.
Eyh mamoo, baboo dodoo whatever you call yourself; you think that publishing schindler’s list would make corruption by your Deity acceptable misdemeanors.
Then if so the PNM was booted out-now think about similar consequences.
Like it or not History have endless examples of when corrupt Regimes insult Public concerns/outrage we enter fluid transformations that are usually eclips Law & Order.
The PP Cabinet has crossed the Line and Volney-cum-lately is not sacrificial caste.
It was not an issue of race rather a crime against all our institutions peoples and principles.
Its deep Patrick Manning dared thread in these areas as he understood fully these demarcations of sovereignty the PP Cabinet does not. Calder Hart was no criminal, yes he was an arrogant selfish bastard-show me a Politician who’s no like him except that He or she is Black Indian African or Mulatto or all three?
Perception is everything:1. Ish is an un-convicted Criminal and the Government is doing everything to keep it that way INSPITE of the nation’s Lawful laws & institutions. 2. The Ag is complicite. 3. And that the Prime Minister, after her maiden address on the issue is a compromise implicit in a COVER-UP. Sue me!
Mamoo, you are an old record that got stuck somewhere about 1984 or 85. Please wake up from your somnambulistic state and recognize that this is a different country now.The SAME PEOPLE who turned aginst the PNM for the stuff they allegedly did, and voted the UNC coalition of fools and thieves into power, are now turning against them also. Keep listing the imagined sins of th PNM and see where that gets you. How many ministers did Eric Williams have to fire in his first term of office for corruption? How many did Manning have to?When he got the info about franklin Khan and Eric Williams involvement in bribery based on crook Dhansook’s alllgations, manning turned the data over to the DPP for action. Were you sleeping then too? Try as you guys could, you have found NOTHING that you could hang on Manning’s head, except perhaps his failujre to supervise and rein in Calder HArt., which dr. Rowley had poined out publicly. Compared to the sewer we now walking in, let me pronounce St.MAnning as the new hero of Trinidad and Tobago.
Meanwhile, I suggest you go back to sleep. Sleep deprived people often sound drunk, and repeat the same nonsense over and over. I comment on issues, you seem to get your jollies attacking what I say.
Well said, cousin Linda. Mamoo is an ill-motivated obscurantist that has not yet learned that two wrongs don’t make a right. In any case, PNM wrong-doing is like one fellow peeing in the pool … one can still swim in it. PP wrong doing is a case of all ah dem peepeeeing in the pool, and several doing worse. The stench and discoloration puts the lie to any claim of plausible deniability by this PM. The whole lot should go.
I would go much further:
What we have here in the Section 34 matter is a corrupt usurpation in this sense.
The TT Government has been corruptly suborned to a private purpose.
Therefore, the people of T&T are morally and under natural law legally entitled to wrest control from this Government, even using forceful means.
There seems to be no Constitutional provision for impeaching and removing a sitting Prime Minister for the high crime of usurpation. Therefore, natural and moral law must govern.
Indeed, under God’s moral law, if we the people do not wrest control from this putrid Government, then we are answerable to God as partakers in their corruption.
Shalom.
T&T is a democracy. Do you know that if an election is called today, the PNM would lose.And this comment is in no way in support of what just transpired in T&T.
It matters not the form of Government, nor who would win or lose an election called today.
If there has been a criminal usurpation, then under natural and moral law, the first duty of the governed is to revoke the mandate of the government by all necessary means.
We must be clear what the matter is. Usurpation of a government for corrupt private purposes is worse than treason. And the criminal subornation of a government is worse than sedition. The presence of both threatens the state itself.
The T&T constitution does not seem to provide for the impeachment of a Prime Minister, nor for the President on his own authority to remove a Government for clear misconduct. Therefore, it may be necessary to resort to extra-constitutional means to correct the usurpation, specifically the direct application of people power.
In any case, I seek to make the moral imperative clear. We should not flinch from it. To acquiesce in this criminal usurpation of our Government would be to become partaker by default, and answerable to God as such. The moral imperative in this outrage is to follow the robust example of Christ:
John 2:15: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple …
May Yahweh bless and guide us out of this mess.
Shalom.
Mamoo’S FACTS seem to offend you causing you to lose control?
“let me pronounce St.MAnning as the new hero of Trinidad and Tobago”. Surely this must be a joke?
Mamoo’s declaration of Schindlers list is not from a somnambulistic state but it is facts. He has to be complimented for good record keeping and as seen the truth tends to offend. However, that being said it reflects how our contributions by making caustic responses do not bring about healing but infects wounds. Sorry to say it is a reflection of our mentality and nationhood. I draw reference to a calypso being composed about George Chambers, how denigrating was that at an international level so much so that his predeccor Eric Williams got so fed up with the people who was close to him O’Halloran, Prevatt, Teshea etc. that he just wanted to be by himself. That is a fact. Our leaders give up so much of themselves that they become prophets who are not recognized in their own kingdom. Surely within the ambit of democracy they are to be criticized but constructively. It is evident the PPG has been running into problems but that is expected when you have a coalition government and the risk of certain individuals who are inebriated with bitterness, iniquities and greed representing a nation. If the AG is to be dealt with then that will happen. Volney did mislead Cabinet and the consequences were metered out, despite both sides of Parliament passing Act 201. The PM has been and is exhibiting good leadership qualities and is determined to weed out individuals who are not in sync with guiding principles of nationhood building.
Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. Geologist number 2 ain’t going to fare any better in P.M. Chair as Geologist 1 fail to deal with corruption. What the PNM did was try to cover past sins. A bad mistake. The current P.M. Is Dealing with the issues effectively as they arise. That is the way to govern, it shows good judgement and a uncanny ability to discern right from wrong. Further the public trust is to be respected. This P.M. Is highly intelligent and despite a few mis step in the beginning she has learned and become better at her job. Sure there will be some mistakes in the future but she is demonstrating good judgment and that is what the public want.
Ahem. Miss. Which Planet you living on? Nothing is being dealt with. We having a pre-budget fete Saturday. You honestly believe that all of the cabinet were unaware of what was going down? Yes, it is that nasty. Ir was that deliberate. There is a point at which no wound can be healed, but the offending appendage must be removed. This administration has crossed a bridge, and their policy of ‘Move On’ just is not cutting the mustard this time. There is no constructive criticism that can be levied at such a time as this. The attempt to erode the rule of law cannot and will not be forgotten or forgiven,especially when we continue to be lied to in such a brazen manner by your beloved PM. This PM is clearly nothing more than a figurehead. I admire your loyalty, but it is in this case, grossly misplaced.
Do your research. When Chamber’s sht hit the fan back in 1984-5, my column”Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” in the Express reduced him to a ridiculous figure. When Ken Valley proudly said “Me ent no African”, I wrote “In the Valley of the Dhanshiki and the Dhoti”. reduco ad absurdum. People whom I hardly knew, commented on its timeliness. Over to you apologists for the UNC/PP combustion.
This patriot has a long pen, and a longer memory.