Seetahal calls Rowley-Gordon meeting "very inappropriate"

Former Independent Senator Dana Seetahal told the Guardian on Monday Ken Gordon could be asked to recuse himself if the the Integrity Commission is required to investigate the e-mails produced by Opposition Leader Keith Rowley in Parliament last month.

Seetahal told the paper the meeting that took place between Rowley and Gordon at Gordon's home on May 15 was "very inappropriate". 

She said, "There are no safeguards at Gordon’s home and he was dealing with someone who falls under the aegis of the Integrity in Public Life Act. He didn’t have the safeguards of the office, which would give transparency to the meeting.” 

Seetahal noted that the only facts available to citizens are what both men have reported. She said if Rowley becomes the subject of an investigation there could be an issue since the chairman had interacted privately with the complaining party. "It would lead to the suggestion that Gordon should disqualify himself," she said.

Seetahal told the Guardian it is not sufficient for Rowley to say the matter was urgent. "If it was so urgent, why couldn’t it have been done over the phone?” 

She also wondered how it could be of such urgency if Rowley had the emails for more than six months before going to Parliament. “The proper thing was to put the query in writing and send it to the registrar to get a response. The meeting was not appropriate and leaves many questions,” Seetahal said.

"When you are dealing with the Integrity in Public Life Act you have to be careful—as other commissioners have found out in the past," she told the Guardian