Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said on Wednesday she used her constitutional veto to block the appointment of Michelle Anne Austin as Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) on the advice of Finance Minister Winston Dookeran.
She told Parliament although the Public Service Commission (PSC) recommended Austin for the post she sought the advice of Dookeran since he is directly responsible for the FIU.
She said Dookeran wrote to her on July 6, 2011, outlining several objections to the appointment.
She told Parliament although the Public Service Commission (PSC) recommended Austin for the post she sought the advice of Dookeran since he is directly responsible for the FIU.
She said Dookeran wrote to her on July 6, 2011, outlining several objections to the appointment.
Persad-Bissessar outlined the reasons. She said Dookeran felt "the efforts of the current Director of the FIU resulted in Trinidad and Tobago being moved from the 'dark grey' list to the 'light grey' list by Financial Action Task Force (FATF)."
She added that Dookeran's view was that "the appointment of a new Director at this time will be inappropriate, and will add great uncertainty to the current efforts of Trinidad and Tobago to comply with FATF requirements.
"The uncertainty that would result from the appointment of a new Director is a risk that Trinidad and Tobago cannot afford, given the financial consequences that may arise."
The Prime Minister said she acted within her constitutional rights to reject the PSC's nominee, adding that she acted in the interest of preserving gains made so far in restoring stability with the FATF.
She cited a Privy Council ruling in the case of Feroza Ramjohn versus Prime Minister Patrick Manning and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs to note that there is precedence for such action.
The Prime Minister said she acted within her constitutional rights to reject the PSC's nominee, adding that she acted in the interest of preserving gains made so far in restoring stability with the FATF.
She cited a Privy Council ruling in the case of Feroza Ramjohn versus Prime Minister Patrick Manning and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs to note that there is precedence for such action.
"At Paragraph 45...Lord Browne said and I quote: 'In their Lordship's view, the veto could be properly exercised to prevent the promotion of a candidate who the Prime Minister regarded as unsuitable for appointment on other than political grounds.
"If obviously the ground of objection was some specific allegation, as in Ms Ramjohn's case, then fairness would require that it be put to the candidate. But if the Prime Minister was objecting on general grounds involving no particular case against the candidate, fairness will not demand any advance notice of the veto."
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said there were no improper motives in exercising the veto.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar said there were no improper motives in exercising the veto.
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