T&T gov't to salvage Uff commission

Trinidad and Tobago's Attorney General, John Jeremie, told Parliament Friday the Manning government would introduce a validation bill to fix the problem that has caused the suspension of the commission of Enquiry into the UDeCOTT and the construction sector.

The probe was scheduled to resume on Monday but chairman John Uff announced at a news conference Monday morning that he has been forced to suspend hearings indefinitely because of an oversight that meant the commission did not have legal standing.

According to the relevant legislation the commission had to be published in the Gazette but since it was never done, the hearings had to be suspended.

Read the story: UDeCOTT inquiry has not collapsed

No one in government has accepted responsibility for the error so far. Former Attorney General Bridgid Annisette George told local media a validation bill was all that was required but did not comment on why the probe was not gazetted.

Read the story: Former T&T AG says Uff probe can be salvaged

Jeremie told the House an investigation would be launched to find out more about the failure to gazette the commission. He said cabinet has appointed former appeal court justice Anthony Lucky to investigate.

Lucky was the unsuccessful PNM nominee for the post of president of Trinidad and Tobago when the NAR government of A.N.R. Robinson proposed Noor Hassanali for the post. Hassanali served for 10 years.