Ramadhar: Let us renew oath to the people

Political Leader of the Congress of the People (COP) Prakash Ramadhar yesterday called on his Cabinet colleagues to renew their oath to the people and serve the nation. He said trust will never be restored by behaviour that was or appeared to be self-righteous and self-seeking. It could only be restored by frankness, openness and bold honesty by Government and on all sides. Ramadhar was speaking at yesterday’s pre-budget rally at Mid Centre Mall, Chaguanas.

He said: “Let us get on with our pledge to provide good governance for which were voted in May of 2010. “This nation wants nothing less. This nation deserves nothing less. Let us not disappoint them.” Ramadhar, who is also the Minister of Legal Affairs and chairman of the Legislative Review Committee, said the COP was not comforted by the mere repeal of the controversial Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act 2011.

He said the party put forward its position for action which included that the repeal had to be done in a way to eliminate and to plug any loopholes and to prevent anyone from utilising such to escape justice; that any future attempt by the United States to have those extradited in connection with the Piarco Airport scandal must not be resisted by government; that no government amendments to bills being debated in the Parliament must be introduced without the necessary prior consideration of the appropriate governmental body; and that any person found to have acted with mala fides in those developments must be removed and not allowed to act on behalf of the government.

“We asked for truth, we asked for consequence and for the first time our Prime Minister lifted in this nation’s history, the sacred veil of Cabinet confidentiality and there was a very serious consequence to that,” Ramadhar said. “That precedence has strengthened our democracy and it will forever change government’s accountability to our people.” He said it was not too late to re-establish a contract with the people.

“There is no room for any deviation from that vision which we gave to the people. There is no room for error, slippage or deliberate deviation from our course. “Nothing that is done which is wrong, will escape its just and natural consequences,” he said.