House Speaker Barry Sinanan on Friday turned down a request from Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar to have Attorney General John Jeremie appear before the to the Privileges Committee for comments he made in the House of Representatives about a high court judge. The Law Association had also harshly criticized the attorney general for his comments about the judge.
Read the story: Law Association slams AG for attacks on judge
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On September 14 Jeremie criticised Justice Rajendra Narine for asking the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Commissioner of Police (CoP) to investigate an affidavit submitted by Jamaat al Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr.
The document alleged that there was a deal in which Prime Minister Patrick Manning agreed to forgive a multi-million debt owed to the state by Bakr in exchange for helping the People's National Movement (PNM) in the 2002 election campaign.
Read the story: Kamla demands AG be sent to Privileges Committee
Persad-Bissessar argued in the House that Jeremie violated Standing Order 36 (10), which prohibits a MP from criticizing the conduct of a judge except upon a substantive motion moved for that purpose.
She said further that Jeremie misled the House when he suggested that the affidavit in question had been deemed to be scandalous and irrelevant by both the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council.
Jeremie later clarified his statements, saying Persad-Bissessar had misunderstood his comments to mean that both superior courts had stated that the affidavit was scandalous. He noted that the Privy Council had stated only that the affidavit was irrelevant.
Sinanan said having read the statements of Jeremie, he has concluded that Jeremie was not out of line.
On the second issue Sinanan in order for it to stand, it must be established that Jermie "knew or ought to have known" that his statement was inaccurate and that his intention was to mislead the House.
He said having carefully examined what Jeremie said, as well as his personal explanation offered last Wednesday, he is satisfied that Persad-Bissessar's complaints do not constitute a prima facie case of breach of privilege or contempt.
Read the story: Jeremie's letter on Bakr affidavit sent to CJ
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