A report in the Trinidad Express Thursday said Attorney Israel Khan has resigned from the Uff enquiry into the construction sector and UDeCOTT, saying he did it "in the public interest".The paper said his move follows a letter from Attorney General John Jeremie to Commission chairman Prof John Uff, in which Jeremie expressed concern about a previous letter written by Khan to UDeCOTT's attorneys, Pollanais, Blanc and de la Bastide.
Khan was responding to allegations of bias from UDeCOTT and his letter was highly critical of UDeCOTT's Executive Chairman, Calder Hart.
Khan's resignation letter to President Richards admitted that any "reasonable" person may conclude "that I now possess an unconscious bias against Mr Calder Hart and, by extension, UDeCOTT".
Khan also noted the concern expressed by Jeremie who made reference to remarks attributed to Khan that were published in the Trinidad Express on August 8, 2009.
"Commissioner Khan's public utterances have caused me concern. I am of the view that your commission must appear to be and must be at all times disinterested and impartial in the discharge of its functions," Jeremie wrote to Uff.
"I am in the process of taking advice in relation to this matter and should expect to revert to you within the next day or so," the letter added.
The Express said Khan told the president although he stands by the statements he made in his letter to UDeCOTT, he is of the view that "the public interest, which is always of priority concern to me, will be best served by my recusing myself forthwith from sitting as a commissioner on the said enquiry".
Richards thanked Khan for the "service which you have so far rendered."
The commission is scheduled to resume hearings on September 7.
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