By Raffique Shah
September 22, 2012
IN ordinary times, the Prime Minister’s decision last week to fire Herbert Volney for allegedly misleading the Cabinet on a critical issue (Section 34) would have won the lady universal acclamation. But these are extraordinary times. The baying of the hounds continues unabated, the sounds of fury rise to crescendos, refusing to be silenced by the sacrifice of one silly goat. The natives are restless.
Continue reading Backward ever, forward never
By Sasha Harrinanan
September 22, 2012 – newsday.co.tt
THE firing of Justice Minister Herbert Volney, two days ago by Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar, was karma for his controversial 1998 dismissal of a manslaughter trial against Brad Boyce, who was before the High Court for the 1996 killing of Jason Johnson.
Continue reading Volney paying now
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.
Continue reading PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s Statement on Proclaimation of Section 34
By Raffique Shah
September 16, 2012
FIFTY years ago, in one of his now-famous speeches delivered during the euphoria of Independence, Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams told citizens of the fledgling nation, “…Democracy, finally, rests on a power higher than Parliament. It rests on an informed and cultivated and alert public opinion….” I recalled that injunction last week when the nation was shaken from its Jubilee stupor to learn, through the alertness of the media, that an injudicious act of Parliament was about to hurl us down a legal precipice, the consequences of which are best left to the imagination.
Continue reading Watchdogs of democracy
By Richard Charan
Sep 12, 2012 at 1:12
Director of Public Prosecutions senior counsel Roger Gaspard today issued a statement on the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act 2011, and its impact on the two legal proceedings involving defendants charged in the Piarco Airport Terminal project.
Continue reading DPP Roger Gaspard Breaks Silence
By Andre Bagoo
September 13, 2012 – newsday.co.tt
PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar issued directions to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan to table last-minute amendments to bolster legislation designed to shield the State from the legal fallout of its decision to abruptly repeal Section 34 of the Administration of Justice Act, it was revealed yesterday.
Continue reading ISH, STEVE ‘CUT DOWN’
By Andre Bagoo
September 12, 2012 – newsday.co.tt
THE PARLIAMENT sits today to urgently pass legislation to repeal a section of a new law, after the Government’s decision to proclaim the law opened the door to a wave of applications to the Supreme Court which could see businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson, as well as several others accused in the Piarco corruption inquiries, walk free without trial.
Continue reading SCANDALOUS