Guest commentary: Questions about the DPP's role

File: The Guanapo church before it was abandoned

The Director of Public Prosecutions has decided that that former Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his spiritual adviser Juliana Pena do not have to a case to answer with respect to the Lighthouse of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Heights of Guanapo and has cleared them of any "criminal misconduct" in the matter.

Roger Gaspard’s pronouncements, even while admitting that the police did not interview Manning or Pena, asserted that "the police appear not to have any evidence which would afford reasonable grounds for suspecting that they may have committed any offense arising out of this matter". 

Imagine these two persons of interest were never even interviewed by the Police, despite the fact that ex-PM Manning deceived the nation with regards to his and Udecott’s involvement in the Church. 

Did the Police interview Architect Stephen Mendes, the man who has held the key as to whether former Prime Minister Patrick Manning was personally involved in the commissioning of the controversial project? He is the man who confirmed the ‘PM’ he wrote about in a letter dated May 2, 2006 referred to Manning. 

T&T now seems to be saddled with a DPP who appears not to be faithfully and consistently adhering to his oath of office.

From the very beginning of this administration, DPP Roger Gaspard has been very critical of the crime fighting legislation being bought forward by the PPG.

Just recently, when the country was getting an inside preview from the CoE investigating the collapse of CL Empire and the Hindu Credit Union, Gaspard wanted the enquiry literally shut down, saying that it had the potential to jeopardize "a potentially strong and credible prosecution" of former CL Financial business executives on the basis of adverse pre-trial publicity. 

The DPP also decided that he would not lay charges against Abu Bakr for failing to answer a summons of the commission to appear before the 1990 Coup CoE.

The DPP refused to facilitate Section 16 of the Commission of Enquiry Act, which empowered him to take action against anyone refusing to obey a summons to attend the Commission.

Gaspard continues to frustrate the Executive by showing no inclination to investigate too many matters

I consider Roger Gaspard’s decision on the Manning/Pena matter a legal betrayal to the people of T&amp.

There's no doubt that the all fair-minded citizens, looking at DPP Roger Gaspard's continued actions, are now firm in their belief that his is totally biased.
Capil Bissoon | Toronto