PM Manning refuses AG's offer to resign

John Jeremie is keeping his job as Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago.

Last week Prime Minister Patrick Manning informed the media that Jeremie had offered to resign but on Monday he issued a media statement advising that he has not accepted Jeremie's offer.

Manning said Jeremie’s move was prompted partly by the motion of no-confidence passed by the Law Association and by Jeremie’s desire “to adopt a principled position” by offering his resignation.

Read the story: Law Association passes no confidence motion in AG

Manning said he refused to accept the resignation because he felt the motion was “politically motivated and not grounded in any legal interpretation of the role of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General, in which the Attorney General committed any serious infraction in the performance of his duties.”

Manning cited a comment by Congress of the People (COP) leader, Winston Dookeran who thanked Desmond Allum for moving the motion at the meeting of the Law Association. Allum is a member of COP.

Read story: Manning calls lawyers 'politicians'...

The statement applauded Jeremie for offering his resignation and reaffirmed the prime minister's confidence in the Jeremie.

Jeremie was in office Monday following a trip to London to deal with outstanding matters as former High Commissioner.

Leader of the Opposition Basdeo Panday had predicted that Manning would take this line and called the whole affair “a hoax, a scam, a game and a plot between both of them.”

On Monday he told the Trinidad Guardian the “population must now be mobilised to ensure Jeremie tenders his resignation and not offer it. If he tenders it, the PM will have no choice but to accept it.”