…Private meeting was not proper, says Daly
Former Law Association president and former independent senator Martin Daly yesterday questioned the propriety of a meeting between Integrity Commission chairman Kenneth Gordon and Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley on May 15 which took place at the personal residence of the chairman.
The meeting has been criticised by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan and Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal.
Yesterday Daly was asked to comment on the issue.
“I have absolutely no doubt that it was not proper for the chairman of the Integrity Commission to meet the Leader of the Opposition privately at the chairman’s home,” the Senior Counsel said.
“If there was to be a meeting at all it should have taken place at the offices of the Integrity Commission in the presence of the Registrar and official minutes taken,” he added.
“The private meeting constitutes an un-safeguarded and illegitimate ex parte communication about a matter likely to come before the Commission.”
Daly added: “The Commission has quasi-judicial powers and its chairman and members must be constantly sensitive to that and must not do or say anything to erode the appearance that justice is being even-handedly administered. Many public officials seem unable to grasp that what you may comfortably do as a private citizen is restricted once you accept public office and this is precisely one such case.”