Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said yesterday former National Security Minister Gary Griffith had orally recommended David West to her for the post of head of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA). And Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley said in his dialogue with the Prime Minister on the West appointment, he didn’t inform her West was his witness in a private lawsuit with former Attorney General Anand Ramlogan since there was “no requirement” to discuss it with her.
Persad-Bissessar and Rowley made their disclosures in Parliament during the “question time” period for the PM, when Persad-Bissessar fielded questions from Rowley and Independent Liberal Party (ILP) MP Jack Warner on the West matter now confronting the People’s Partnership (PP) administration. The PM countered some of Rowley’s probings with questions of her own on his failure to disclose that West was his witness in a private lawsuit with Ramlogan.
West last month filed a police report alleging “witness tampering” and an attempt to pervert the course of justice by former AG Ramlogan. Persad-Bissessar subsequently sought and received Ramlogan’s resignation and also removed Griffith from Cabinet. Griffith has given a witness statement to police on the West matter and has also claimed he was “pressured” by some ministers to retract his statements.
Yesterday, Persad-Bissessar was probed by the PNM on whether there were any discussions with any Cabinet member/members prior to offering West the PCA post and whether Ramlogan was involved in those discussions. Persad-Bissessar said West’s name was never discussed in the Cabinet.
She said President Anthony Carmona wrote her on September 2, 2014, saying he had received the resignation of former PCA director Gillian Lucky and drew attention to Section Six of the governing act regarding joint advice from herself and the Opposition Leader. She said she later sought recommendations at Cabinet and the former AG and several others may have been present but she said West’s name was not discussed at Cabinet.
The PM said after that she received oral recommendations and Griffith had verbally recommended West to her. After that she said she sought to have a meeting with Rowley on the issue but eventually spoke to him on the phone since he could not have a meeting on it. She said Rowley called and said they should proceed. She said he wrote her on November 3, saying West was eminently qualified and suitable for the post and the President should be advised on it.
She said after that she wrote the President attaching Rowley’s letter to her, adding they both agreed on West. Persad-Bissessar said no Cabinet member was apprised of the names proposed for the post. On when the PM knew that West was a witness in a private lawsuit filed by Ramlogan in a matter against Rowley, she said she learned of it like everyone else in January when it was reported in the media.
She said the situation begged the question of whether Rowley knew West was his witness. She noted the Integrity Act on persons in public office and the use of office to confer benefits directly/indirectly. “At no time did Dr Rowley say West was his witness in the lawsuit,” the Prime Minister pointed out. Rowley asked if at no time between June 2014 and January 2015 Ramlogan hadn’t told her he knew West was a witness in a private lawsuit.
He admitted he had not discussed the West aspect with the PM since there was no requirement to discuss it with her. The Government benches protested loudly: “No, no, no.”
Conflict of interest
During his questioning, Rowley also asked the Prime Minister to identify any interest he had or could have regarding West’s appointment to the PCA. Persad-Bissessar expressed surprise that Rowley “couldn’t understand” that in making the recommendation he was conducting constitutional duty in a public matter in the public interest and didn’t seem to understand the conflict of interest in the situation.
She said that involved the recommending of a person for public office, who was a witness in a private lawsuit. “He (Rowley) had a duty to disclose conflict of interest in the matter,” the PM declared. Persad-Bissessar said Ramlogan also had not informed her of the lawsuit or West being a witness, nor did Griffith speak of any lawsuit involving West. On Rowley’s query on whether she knew he (Rowley) was being sued by Ramlogan, the PM said she was not aware.
She said she had been at meetings in Washington and Costa Rica in January, had returned home to hear of the issue, sought statements from the ministers involved and took action on February 2. The PM said if she had known of the lawsuit she would have asked Rowley to declare his interest in the matter but “there was no disclosure,” adding she didn’t know how many people sue Rowley.
On Rowley’s question about what the witness-tampering policy was, Persad-Bissessar said Government had taken a tough stance on witness tampering. She noted law passed last year in the Parliament on the issue when he was present and wondered if Rowley was “still bazodee” (from his Carnival celebration) and could not recall that. Penalty on conviction is $100,000 and 20 years in jail.
...threatens to sue over E-mailgate
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says she may have to sue Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley very soon on the E-mailgate issue. She made the comment in Parliament yesterday while replying to Opposition and Independent Liberal Party ‘s (ILP) questions. The PM also expressed amazement at a question by ILP leader Jack Warner regarding why he didn’t get any tickets for Carnival events
“It’s very interesting where this Parliament has reached, an MP using the ‘question time for the Prime Minister’ to ask the Prime Minister why he didn’t get Carnival tickets. I notice your friends (PNM) on the others side are very quiet, perhaps they got their tickets,” she added. She said she was not aware of any breach of usual protocol on the ticket issue and Arts Minister Dr Lincoln Douglas would deliver a statement on the matter. She said Warner was well aware she did not condone discrimination.
Persad-Bissessar also said no Cabinet decision had been taken to reduce the number of armoured vehicles the Ministry of National Security was acquiring. On a media report that moves were on to reduce the quota, she said one could not believe everything reported and it would be raised with the minister. She said decisions were not made on the hoof.
She also said the Constitution Amendment Bill, concerning the runoff proposal, is on the Parliament agenda and advance notice would be given on when it would be debated. Persad-Bissessar also said Government was not taking steps to introduce/reintroduce land and building taxes nor was there any proposal for revision-reduction of the 2015 budget due to falling oil prices. She said Government’s Health Card would be rolled out soon.
Picong also flew from the People’s Partnership, with retorts from the PNM, on Rowley’s wining episode on Carnival Tuesday in San Fernando. PP MP Roodal Moonilal, defending the PM against the PNM attack, asked Rowley at one point: “You feel you in San Fernando?”