Plain Talk from Skratchy

Time For Political Justice

The creeping threat to the fundamental principle of the separation of powers between the Executive and the Judiciary has now galloped into an all out and complete abuse of power and process by the Government of the day. This is the view of Congress of the People leader Winston Dookeran.

He further went on to state that this abuse of power and process by the State will remain the legacy of this PNM Administration and its leader Prime Minister Patrick Manning. This country now has a challenge to rebuild the fundamental institutions of the Judiciary and the Government so as to restore the integrity of the Executive and confidence in the judicial process.

According to Mr. Dookeran his years of experience in Government has allowed him to understand quite clearly that there is always a degree of tension between the Government, the Judiciary and the Legislature. This is because it is the role of the Judiciary and the Legislature to keep the Government in check and is the hallmark of a true and properly functioning democracy.

In Trinidad and Tobago this is not the case as the Government has on numerous occasions overstepped the bounds of the separation of powers. Having been embarrassed in the courts too many times to mention it is clear that the Government has embarked on a campaign to hound and harass the highest judicial officer in the land. Such actions have clearly disregarded the basic principles of our democracy and the country is now on a fast track to loss of confidence in the system of Government we cherish with Prime Minister Patrick Manning leading the charge.

According to Mr. Dookeran the person most culpable in this entire affair is Prime Minister Patrick Manning. The Prime Minister has engaged both the Chief Justice and the DPP in a manner that is clearly outside his power and authority. It worth reminding the population that no one is above the law – not even Patrick Manning. This is not the first time he has acted in such a manner and his public rebuke by the Attorney General and the DPP for similar actions is without precedent for a sitting Prime Minister. If the course of natural justice is being denied then it is time to bring about political justice.

Mr. Dookeran goes on further to state that in light of the prime Minister own statement in Parliament yesterday there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the Prime Minister was engaged either directly or otherwise in meddling with , the prosecution and the investigative arms of the state.

He views the actions of the Prime Minister as serious enough to warrant a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister unless there is a clear and coherent explanation as to the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the case against Chief Justice Sat Sharma. Further he is calling on the Judicial Services Commission to launch a thorough investigation into the conduct of the Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls.

Further Mr. Dookeran noted that since the criminal proceedings have now ceased and that there is currently no proceeding against the Chief Justice he should be able to resume his office and call for his immediate reinstatement.