PNM stands behind Rowley, calls on AG to withdraw all legal action

File: PNM Headquarters in Port of Spain

The People's National Movement (PNM) issued a media release Tuesday calling on Attorney General Anand Ramlogan to "immediately withdraw" all legal actions against its leader, Dr Keith Rowley.

Ashton Forde

The release from PNM general secretary Ashton Ford said the AG should "cease and desist from behaviour that undermines the democracy and which are not in the interest of the citizens of our beloved country".

Rowley told reporters on Monday that several pre-action protocol letters sent by the AG arising out of statements he made as Opposition Leader are forcing him into bankruptcy because he has to use his own funds to get legal representation while the AG is using state funds to take action against the opposition leader.

Ramlogan has refuted that and stated that he has used his private funds to take action against Rowley in a private capacity. (Read the story: AG responds to Rowley, calls PNM leader's statement an attempt to prejudice public psyche)
The PNM also urged Rowley to continue to vigorously pursue the following issues:

• the role and conduct of the Attorney General in the extradition process of businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson
• the role of the Financial Intelligence Unit with respect to the State of Emergency
• the unexplained increase in the budgetary allocations in the Attorney General's office from $30 million in 2010 to $108 million in 2011 and $95 million in 2012

"The PNM firmly believes that the Attorney General is (trying) to prevent Dr Rowley from acting on behalf of all right-thinking citizens of Trinidad and Tobago," the release stated.

It added that no amount of "bullying and intimidatory tactics would deter Dr Rowley from exercising his duty without fear or favour in accordance with the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago."

The PNM Women's League also said it is standing with its leader. It expressed its "immeasurable abhorrence" of the "new and worrying trend" of the Attorney General, Anand Ramlogan to silence Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley."

It repeated the allegation of using state funds, which Ramlogan denied Tuesday, saying that the AG's actions strike "at the very heart of our democracy".

It added, "Dr Rowley is sworn to look after the best interest of the people of Trinidad and Tobago without fear or favour and does so with purpose and vigour...and calls on all right-thinking citizens to raise their voices in denouncing and rejecting the AG's attempt to intimidate and muzzle the Opposition Leader in the discharge of this duties which is an integral component of our democracy," the League said.