ILP MP Jack Warner yesterday tried unsuccessfully to have Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley’s suspension from the Lower House rescinded on the basis of a recent statement by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions on the Emailgate issue.
Warner raised the motion during yesterday’s Parliament. Rowley was suspended recently from Parliament after a government motion of censure and suspension against him concerning his May 2013 presentation of several emails.
These alleged a “conspiracy” by government officials on the Section 34 issue. During debate of the censure motion, Government produced opinions from experts which said the emails were fake. Deputy DPP Joan Honore Paul two days ago chastised Government for using this, saying the email probe wasn’t completed and no conclusions had yet been reached.
In his motion, Warner noted the Government “made numerous references to a collection of emails and claimed these emails were fake as a matter of fact and used this as one of the bases on which the Leader of the Opposition should be censured and suspended.”
He also added, “Whereas the Deputy DPP has issued a statement indicating that no conclusion has been made by the Office of the DPP nor the Police as to whether these emails are in fact fake or genuine, and that investigations into the authenticity of the emails are still ongoing, and whereas the statement by the Deputy DPP disproves the claim by the PP Leader of the House that as a matter of fact the emails are fake, hence, the rationale upon which the Opposition Leader was suspended was critically baseless and renders the suspension unjust.”
Warner said, “And whereas there’s also widespread concern the process used and procedure followed to suspend the Opposition Leader was fundamentally flawed, be it resolved that for the reasons foregoing, and notwithstanding Standing Order 41 (12), this Honourable House rescind the suspension forthwith.”
Warner said the matter was urgent since Rowley’s Diego Martin West constituents were being deprived of representation in Parliament by their MP. He also quoted several points made against the suspension.
House Speaker Wade Mark said the motion didn’t qualify under Standing Order 17—which Warner had filed it under—and also advised him that because of the provision of Standing Order 15, it couldn’t be pursued as Warner had filed it under another Standing Order that qualified it for debate yesterday.
Verna wears red
Activist Verna St Rose Greaves came to Parliament decked all in red yesterday, saying she was from Covigne in Diego Martin and that area needed to be represented in Parliament. She noted that Rowley was suspended from Parliament.
She said she came in peace, but Rowley was her representative. She said if she were 40 years younger she’d have “picked up a gun” due to the hurt and anger, especially on the part of youths in society.
She said the youths were crying out and somebody had to look out for their interest. Asked if she had spoken to Rowley, she said not on the suspension, but she planned to talk with him on the issue of youths. While St Rose-Greaves sat in the Parliament public gallery, three police officers hovered close by throughout her stay.