Warner: De Lima’s behaviour comical

 

The COP’s National Council and leader amended the motion to remove the ultimatum COP would leave. De Lima subsequently kept his promise to resign from the party’s executive. In Parliament on Wednesday night at the start of his contribution Warner criticised what he described as the “comical behaviour” of the former COP vice chairman. Without calling names, Warner added: “A man who exclusively represented a man charged for four murders and get away on three occasions and the last time he failed.” Warner said the last time the COP official “failed in that job, he had with him Peter Thorton, Ronald Thwaites (attorneys) and a junior member of this Cabinet as well.”  Warner said the COP official had now come to ask for his (Warner’s) resignation. 

 

He said the person in question in 1989 represented Henry Ramos and Louis Britto in the La Tinta drug issue. He also cited other clients’ names, noting they also were freed. He added of the COP official: “The only thing that makes him more comical is Learie Joseph and what is even more painful, he had some political colleagues who used to call him because at the time he was a big lawyer and he used to eat a food. “After the demise of the Chadee family that so-called bigshot lawyer had nothing to do until 2010. His work dried up until Rick Gomes was charged with trafficking $13 million in coke.” Contacted for comment yesterday, De Lima said he had heard about the remarks, adding: “Mr Warner is protected by parliamentary privilege and I am not, so whereas he can sue me, I cannot sue him.” On Wednesday Warner also trained his guns on Opposition leader Keith Rowley, saying he would not be “as investigated” as Rowley was. He said he was waiting for Rowley in the Tobago House of Assembly election. Warner, knocking Rowley for quoting from the Mirror newspaper in the debate, added: “Given time, Rowley might not be able to quote from the Mirror at all. It’s going to be a long, hot summer.”