National Security Minister Gary Griffith has no plans to sue Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley over the E-mailgate fiasco, despite the advice of Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.Speaking outside the Parliament on Tuesday, Griffith said the entire scandal was created based on rumours and had affected the country's image.
On Sunday, Ramlogan produced a certified affidavit from Google Inc which, he claimed, discredited the entire scandal. After announcing his intention to sue Rowley, Ramlogan said he would advise Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and other ministers involved to do the same.
However, when asked if he too would be taking legal action, Griffith said: "No, I said what had to be said a long time ago. This was a storm in a tea cup. From day one I handed over my cellphone because I knew for a fact that there was absolutely nothing of relevance to it."It means unfortunately, that somebody got set up and it is unfortunate that we continue to build and breathe on situations built on old talk, gossip and hearsay. If at anytime someone drops something in your mailbox, can that automatically be seen as evidence?
"No, it is not even information, it was hearsay and it is unfortunate that it has reached a point where it has affected the image of our country, based on hearsay."Griffith acted as national security adviser to Persad-Bissessar in 2012 at the time when the alleged e-mails were exchanged between himself, Persad-Bissessar, Ramlogan, Works and Infrastructure Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan and Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal.
Copies of the alleged e-mails were read out in Parliament by Rowley on May 19, 2013, during a motion of no confidence the Opposition had brought against Persad-Bissessar.The e-mails alleged plots to undermine the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, harm journalists and make payments to an unnamed person in an attempt to cover up the controversial passing of Section 34 of the Administration of Justice Act, (Indictable Proceedings), 2011.