Harrinarine denied request to address probe into CL and HCU

File photo: Harry Harrinarine and members of the HCU team

Harry Harnarine wanted to address the commission of enquiry into CL Financial and the Hindu Credit Union (HCU) and its subsidiaries when the probe began on Friday.

However commissioner Sir Anthony Colman denied the request because the lawyer for the former HCU president said he did not know what Harrinarine would be saying. "Well if you can't tell me what he's going to say, then I'm not prepared to consider it," Sir Anthony said.

Harnarine spoke with reporters following the sitting and explained that he wanted to know whether the commissioner would be impartial.

"First of all, I wanted to enquire from the commissioner as it relates to his own appointment, what guarantee we would have from him that he would not be biased or prejudicial in support of the Attorney General," Harnarine said.

"While he is claiming he was appointed by the President, his appointment was on the basis of a recommendation of the Attorney General to the President. And I have serious concerns with that whole appointment.

"Since the Attorney General has recused himself from matters regarding the Hindu Credit Union, we have decided...not object to him being the commissioner, but I wanted to clear the point with him...that whereby he can guarantee that he would be independent from any interference by the Attorney General in this commission of enquiry."

During the proceedings, Harrinarine's lawyer, Wesley Debideen raised the possibility that the enquiry could cause "undesirable public prejudice" for matters currently before the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Sir Anthony said the enquiry will proceed until there is a red signal put on by the court. "At that point in time, obviously the enquiry is stopped; but unless and until the court puts the signal to red, it will take very exceptional facts...for the enquiry to suspend the whole or part of its activities," he said.