President writes PM on Section 34; "I've already replied": Kamla

Keith Rowley

Keith Rowley told reporters on Tuesday President Max Richards has written to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar asking for information on Section 34.

“I think this is a tremendous development," the Opposition Leader told the media during a news conference at his office. "It has never happened before in T&T where the President was requested by the population and he has looked at the matter. It is now for the Prime Minister to respond appropriately to the President.”

However, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said she has already replied to the request for documents pertaining to the proclamation of Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act. 

"I have responded the President already,” she told reporters.The People's National Movement (PNM) and other groups calling themselves the Roundtable on Section 34 met with Richards last month to discuss concerns about Section 34 and asked him to intervene.

Rowley said the president replied in a letter dated December 7, stating that he wrote to the Prime Minister under Section 81 of the Constitution. 

The president's letter to Rowley

Section 81 of the Constitution of T&T states: The Prime Minister shall keep the President fully informed concerning the general conduct of the Government of T&T and shall furnish the President with such information as he may request with respect to any particular matter relating to the Government of T&T.

Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act 2011 was passed unanimously in the Parliament and proclaimed in August. However the government repealed it two weeks later during a special sitting of Parliament. 

She fired Herbert Volney from his post as justice minister for allegedly misleading the Cabinet on the matter by stating that he had the full support of both Chief Justice Ivor Archie and the DPP for the early proclamation.