Why the Attorney General not attending court on PNM affiliates matters?
On Monday, the Leader of the Opposition raised an alarming matter of extreme concern relating to matters before the Court for which the Office of the Attorney General has conduct.
Mrs. Persad-Bissessar revealed that there was a matter before the Court CV. 2014-02037 Ashton Ford, Andrea Chambers-Wilson, Elvin Edwards v. The Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago where the Claimants sued the Attorney General for breach of contract in relation to their foreign postings as Attachés.
The Claimants instituted the High Court matter on the 10th June 2014. At the time, the Persad Bissessar-led Government, had every intention to defend the State in the matter brought by Mr. Ford et al. The Office of the Attorney General, at that time, filed:
1. An appearance on the 05th November 2014;
2. A Defence on the 30th January 2015;
3. Amended Defence on the 02nd March 2015.
After the PNM took over Government in September 2015, the matter was still on-going. On the 18th January 2019, the Claimants, Mr. Ford et al, filed their Witness Statements. The Office of the Attorney General under the PNM failed and/or neglected to file any witness statement in support of the Amended Defence.
It is even more troubling that when the matter came up for a trial on the 15th May 2019, no lawyers from the Office of the Attorney General attended Court. As such, the trial was undefended by the Attorney General. As a result, the High Court by Judgment dated 18th March 2022, awarded the sum of $2.65 million in damages, cost and interest to Mr. Ford and Mr. Edwards.
Mr. Ford is a former General Secretary of the PNM and Mr. Edwards is a former Mayor of Arima controlled by the PNM.
This is just one matter in a trend of other disturbing matters. Recently, in the Ocean Pelican matter, involving Adrian Scoon, the son of PNM Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, the Solicitor General which is under the Attorney General’s Office did not attend Court, resulting in the quashing of police warrants in this matter.
In the Ken Julien matter, the Rowley-led Government withdrew the matter against Ken Julien and the PNM appointed Board of Eteck, after the Peoples’ Partnership Government sued to recover $35 Million from the failed Bamboo Investment deal.
Similarly, we saw the same with the Malcolm Jones Scandal where the matter was withdrawn by the Rowley-led PNM Government against Malcolm Jones after the People’s Partnership Government sued him to recover about $1 Billion for the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
Lastly, in the AV drilling arbitration matter, Ms. Deobrah Peake SC who represented Petrotrin advised the PNM appointed Petrotrin Board headed by Mr. Quamina to apply to the High Court to set aside the Arbitration because there was good ground to do so. However, the PNM Government refused her advice and filed no such Action in Court.
It is a mockery of the justice system. The Attorney General must break his silence and address this travesty of justice.
MP Saddam Hosein