It was the meeting with Rowley on May 15 that has caused a major controversy especially since it happened five days before the leader of the opposition presented his no confidence motion in the government claiming a serious conspiracy.
Only Gordon and Rowley were at the meeting and there was no official record except Gordon's own notes, which he released to the meeting only after government minister Roodal Moonilal raised the matter in Parliament last month.
The Express said Gordon issued a statement done in a question and answer format and released to the media Friday by the Integrity Commission.
It quoted Gordon: “What I would do differently is to ensure that I had a fuller understanding of the nature of the “urgency” which existed before arranging the meeting that afternoon. Equally in the light of what has transpired I would do everything possible to ensure that I had a clearly spelt-out remit for the office of sole Commissioner”.
However he stated that he did not think he should quit as chairman of the Integrity Commission (IC).
The Express said Gordon issued a statement done in a question and answer format and released to the media Friday by the Integrity Commission.
It quoted Gordon: “What I would do differently is to ensure that I had a fuller understanding of the nature of the “urgency” which existed before arranging the meeting that afternoon. Equally in the light of what has transpired I would do everything possible to ensure that I had a clearly spelt-out remit for the office of sole Commissioner”.
However he stated that he did not think he should quit as chairman of the Integrity Commission (IC).
"It has the power to do what it considers necessary or expedient...It must also be understood that whether or not a “constituted” Constitution existed on May 15, the day of the meeting, the identical circumstances could have occurred.
“My response would almost certainly have been the same except that I might have immediately called one or other of the Commissioners on the phone on Dr Rowley’s departure. Without the full Commission in place I did the next best thing and immediately wrote an aide memoire which was typed the following day.”
Gordon said he has no fear about leaving the post because he has left four previous national appointments under three different Governments. "In each instance it was a principled position against what I considered to be wrong. What I will not do is to be stampeded into taking such action for the wrong reasons," he stated.
“My response would almost certainly have been the same except that I might have immediately called one or other of the Commissioners on the phone on Dr Rowley’s departure. Without the full Commission in place I did the next best thing and immediately wrote an aide memoire which was typed the following day.”
Gordon said he has no fear about leaving the post because he has left four previous national appointments under three different Governments. "In each instance it was a principled position against what I considered to be wrong. What I will not do is to be stampeded into taking such action for the wrong reasons," he stated.
The chairman was adamant that he was not a victim of a trap set by the Opposition Leader.
“He was brief and to the point and so was I. In fact my response to him that the matter was not before the Commission because the Commission was not as yet constituted was not news. That was public knowledge and I had made similar public references earlier when explaining the status quo. The meeting lasted no more than 15 minutes from beginning to end”, Gordon stated.
“He was brief and to the point and so was I. In fact my response to him that the matter was not before the Commission because the Commission was not as yet constituted was not news. That was public knowledge and I had made similar public references earlier when explaining the status quo. The meeting lasted no more than 15 minutes from beginning to end”, Gordon stated.
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