THE EDITOR: Chaguanas East MP Dinesh Rambally has been making some outlandish comparisons in the Vincent Nelson imbroglio, perhaps hoping that we have all forgotten Section 34 of 2012. He described the current scenario as 'the biggest scandal in 60 years in Trinidad and Tobago since independence.' He went further to say that it was an 'irreparable blow to the justice system.' And pushing the narrative further to declare that 'prosecutorial independence has been undermined.' I beg to disagree.
It is my view that the surreptitious inclusion of Section 34 in the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act, 2012, passed by the People's Partnership Government led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar, would fit Rambally's description perfectly.
Former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj had described Section 34 as 'an abuse of power' and the then legal affairs minister Prakash Ramadhar called it 'one of the worst experiences of my life.' Ramadhar, who was acting justice minister at the time, confessed that he 'will never be able to forgive myself for that.'
'We were duped,' he said then.
There is a clear difference between both issues. Section 34 was designed to allow financiers of the party facing prosecution to walk free. In the current scenario, Faris Al-Rawi, as the former attorney general, was taking steps to have alleged offenders answer in a court of law.
Every attempt is now being made to obfuscate the substantive issue. The fact remains that Vincent Nelson, KC, pleaded guilty to certain actions he took and in which a former attorney general and a former UNC senator were charged. Nelson in all his shenanigans has not disavowed his allegations. Attorney General Reginald Armour therefore is obligated to pursue this matter to the end in the public interest, regardless of the cost.
I make the point without reservation that we will never be able to solve white-collar crimes in the corridors of power unless we get people within that circle of miscreants to turn state witness. This is how crooks are caught in First World countries. But we cuddle them. We find all kinds of excuses to defend them. We are so concerned about human and constitutional rights that we are prepared to glorify the perpetrators and go after those seeking the national interest.
The present scenario reminds me so much about the pushback that ANR Robinson faced in 1990 when the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) was dealing with the Tesoro corruption scandal in Parliament. A bunch of thugs invaded Parliament and short-circuited the debate. What is the current endgame?
HARRY PARTAP
former UNC MP
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