ONE OF THE basic principles of fairness is that a person who is accused of wrongdoing should have the last say before a final determination is made on the matter. For this reason, an accused person in a court of law is the last to speak. If accusers were allowed to speak after the accused person presents his defence, this would be unfair, as new things could be raised and allowed to pass into the final judgment without the “other side” of the story, as it were.
This principle is behind Section 38 of the Integrity in Public Life Act which stipulates that before the Commission makes an adverse report against a person in public life, that person must, at the end of the entire Commission investigation, get a special chance to respond to the report against him. This is the section which, infamously, was breached by the Integrity Commission in the Landate probe involving none other than Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley.
Rowley, the Opposition Leader, walked out of his own motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday. The reason? He did not like the fact that the Prime Minister had invoked her right to speak last in response to a motion that was about criticising her. Rowley’s reasoning is deeply hypocritical, since Rowley once relied on the same principle which he today so conveniently dismisses.
Not only was Rowley’s walk-out hypocritical, but it was also inherently nonsensical. Yes, Oppositions in the past have walked out of Parliament, including, on several occasions, the current one. But how does one walk out on one’s own motion without looking absurd?
To add insult to injury, this was no ordinary motion, it was a no-confidence motion which takes precedence above all other business on the Order Paper. It bumped down legislation to fight crime; to tackle pollution; make access to land easier, among others. To invoke these powers in this way and then walk away is simply an abuse of Parliament’s processes. The move leaves the Opposition open to the charge that it invoked its most powerful tool to control the agenda of the House ahead of the PP Government’s 3rd year anniversary and the Local Government polls. But it gets worse.
Dr Rowley has strenuously called for an Integrity Commission investigation (which the Prime Minister on Friday night said she has no problem with). He viciously attacked the referral of the matter to the Police Service, which the Prime Minister did immediately on Monday. But what is it about the current constitution of the Integrity Commission that gives the PNM political leader such confidence in it? The ultimate move any Integrity Commission can make is to refer a matter to the Police Service or to the DPP. The DPP himself would also have to refer the matter to the Police Service. Thus, Rowley’s call for an Integrity Commission and DPP probe, is, ultimately, no different from a direct referral to the Police Service, which he objects to! Does Rowley have another goal in mind?
Most in the country are still attempting to be convinced of Rowley’s truly incredible presentation in Parliament on Monday. If, indeed, Rowley received the purported emails suggesting a conspiracy to murder a journalist, to pervert the course of justice and to illegally spy on the DPP’s office, did he not realise that, if authentic, this would be his ticket into power? Such a cache of documents in one’s inbox, involving supposedly private email communications involving a prime minister, attorney general and minister, would be political dynamite.
Even if he did not have political ends in mind and, instead, sincerely cared about the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, would patriotism not have driven Rowley to pay out of his own pocket to hire an IT expert to see if these things were true? Why sit on dynamite for six months? Why go to the President, who then forwards it to the Integrity Commission, the same Integrity Commission which, in Rowley’s experience, had been subject to political tentacles? The motion of no-confidence read, “the Government has attacked and conspired to undermine key institutions”. It did not read, “the Government has allegedly attacked”. Thus, it suggested compelling proof, which Rowley failed to produce by all standards. For this alone, he should be subject to censure.
But also, why is it that after six months, the veteran politician on Monday made a total of 18 errors while reading out the emails that were supposedly the basis of his entire no-confidence motion? He called out email addresses that were wrong and were different from the documents he circulated, which contained correct email addresses.
Nothing about this no-confidence motion inspires confidence. Dr Rowley has committed a spectacular misstep. Even in Opposition, he has become a leader who will do just about anything without any check from his party. No, Dr Rowley, no.
You’re Invited! Hey there, residents of St. Joseph! Curious about how your community is doing? So are we! The UNC-St. Joseph team is eager to connect with you and learn more about your experiences. Join us for a walk through San Juan East this Saturday, April 20th, 2024. Look out for familiar faces like our UNC Coordinator for St. Joseph, Anil Roberts, our chairman, Amit Sooknanan, and the rest of our dedicated UNC Team. We’ll be hitting the streets and engaging with the heart of your neighborhood. Here are the details: Date: Saturday, April 20th, 2024 Time: 4:00 PM Meeting Point: Opposite the Samaan Tree Bar Whether you’ve got burning questions, suggestions, or just want to say hi, we’d love to see you there! Let’s work together to make St. Joseph an even better place to live. See you on Saturday! UNC-St. Joseph Team
We are thrilled to invite you to join us for an important meeting hosted by the United National Congress (UNC) as we gear up for the upcoming general election. Your presence and participation are highly valued as we strategize and mobilize for the future of our nation. Date: Monday, April 22, 2024 Time: 7:00 PM Venue: Williamsville Secondary School, Guaracara Tabaquite Rd, Williamsville We are honored to announce that the event will feature a special address by the Political Leader of the UNC, the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Her guidance and vision will undoubtedly inspire and guide us as we embark on this journey. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be live-streamed on the UNC Social Media Platform, ensuring that everyone can participate and engage with the discussions.
You are cordially invited to join us as we commemorate a remarkable journey of the past and embark on the promising path to the future at the UNC 35th Anniversary, Interfaith Function, and Service Awards. Date: Sunday, April 28, 2024 Time: 1:00 PM onwards Location: UNC Headquarters, #31 Mulchan Seuchan Rd, Chaguanas This special occasion will be a celebration of unity, diversity, and service to the community. We will come together in solidarity to honor our shared history, embrace our differences, and pledge our commitment to a brighter tomorrow. Your presence will truly make this celebration complete as we reflect on the past with gratitude and look ahead with hope and determination. We eagerly anticipate your presence as we mark this significant milestone in the journey of the UNC.
Dr No
by ANDRE BAGOO Sunday, May 26 2013.
ONE OF THE basic principles of fairness is that a person who is accused of wrongdoing should have the last say before a final determination is made on the matter. For this reason, an accused person in a court of law is the last to speak. If accusers were allowed to speak after the accused person presents his defence, this would be unfair, as new things could be raised and allowed to pass into the final judgment without the “other side” of the story, as it were.
This principle is behind Section 38 of the Integrity in Public Life Act which stipulates that before the Commission makes an adverse report against a person in public life, that person must, at the end of the entire Commission investigation, get a special chance to respond to the report against him. This is the section which, infamously, was breached by the Integrity Commission in the Landate probe involving none other than Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley.
Rowley, the Opposition Leader, walked out of his own motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday. The reason? He did not like the fact that the Prime Minister had invoked her right to speak last in response to a motion that was about criticising her. Rowley’s reasoning is deeply hypocritical, since Rowley once relied on the same principle which he today so conveniently dismisses.
Not only was Rowley’s walk-out hypocritical, but it was also inherently nonsensical. Yes, Oppositions in the past have walked out of Parliament, including, on several occasions, the current one. But how does one walk out on one’s own motion without looking absurd?
To add insult to injury, this was no ordinary motion, it was a no-confidence motion which takes precedence above all other business on the Order Paper. It bumped down legislation to fight crime; to tackle pollution; make access to land easier, among others. To invoke these powers in this way and then walk away is simply an abuse of Parliament’s processes. The move leaves the Opposition open to the charge that it invoked its most powerful tool to control the agenda of the House ahead of the PP Government’s 3rd year anniversary and the Local Government polls. But it gets worse.
Dr Rowley has strenuously called for an Integrity Commission investigation (which the Prime Minister on Friday night said she has no problem with). He viciously attacked the referral of the matter to the Police Service, which the Prime Minister did immediately on Monday. But what is it about the current constitution of the Integrity Commission that gives the PNM political leader such confidence in it? The ultimate move any Integrity Commission can make is to refer a matter to the Police Service or to the DPP. The DPP himself would also have to refer the matter to the Police Service. Thus, Rowley’s call for an Integrity Commission and DPP probe, is, ultimately, no different from a direct referral to the Police Service, which he objects to! Does Rowley have another goal in mind?
Most in the country are still attempting to be convinced of Rowley’s truly incredible presentation in Parliament on Monday. If, indeed, Rowley received the purported emails suggesting a conspiracy to murder a journalist, to pervert the course of justice and to illegally spy on the DPP’s office, did he not realise that, if authentic, this would be his ticket into power? Such a cache of documents in one’s inbox, involving supposedly private email communications involving a prime minister, attorney general and minister, would be political dynamite.
Even if he did not have political ends in mind and, instead, sincerely cared about the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, would patriotism not have driven Rowley to pay out of his own pocket to hire an IT expert to see if these things were true? Why sit on dynamite for six months? Why go to the President, who then forwards it to the Integrity Commission, the same Integrity Commission which, in Rowley’s experience, had been subject to political tentacles? The motion of no-confidence read, “the Government has attacked and conspired to undermine key institutions”. It did not read, “the Government has allegedly attacked”. Thus, it suggested compelling proof, which Rowley failed to produce by all standards. For this alone, he should be subject to censure.
But also, why is it that after six months, the veteran politician on Monday made a total of 18 errors while reading out the emails that were supposedly the basis of his entire no-confidence motion? He called out email addresses that were wrong and were different from the documents he circulated, which contained correct email addresses.
Nothing about this no-confidence motion inspires confidence. Dr Rowley has committed a spectacular misstep. Even in Opposition, he has become a leader who will do just about anything without any check from his party. No, Dr Rowley, no.
Email:abagoo@newsday.co.tt
Newsday
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