Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says she has no knowledge of any criminal investigation involving an allegation of perversion of justice against Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.She was responding to claims by the Opposition in the Lower House yesterday.Rowley says the investigation was in the works after Ramlogan announced last week about securing a judgment against him in a defamation lawsuit relating to E-mailgate.
Persad-Bissessar was asked by Rowley about the situation during yesterday's Parliament segment on question time for the Prime Minister.Ramlogan at last week's post-Cabinet session announced judgment was granted in his favour after Rowley failed to file a defence in the E-mailgate defamation case.Rowley's lawyer, Faris Al-Rawi, subsequently said it was not informed by the court that it had been granted an extension to file its defence and the judiciary is probing the issue.
Yesterday Rowley asked if the Prime Minister was aware the AG would have been speaking at last week's post-Cabinet media briefing on "matters of a private nature."Persad-Bissessar said the ministers for the post-Cabinet briefing were selected by the Communication Minister but she was also aware the AG was going to make the statement.
She said she felt it addressed the issue of the fraudulent emails alleged in the Parliament and it was important to deal with it at the post-Cabinet briefing.Rowley asked if she was aware the outcome of the matter announced by the AG was heading to a criminal investigation with respect to the perversion of justice.Persad-Bissessar responded: "I have no knowledge of what is under criminal investigation so I cannot say.
"I am not in the Police Service and the police have not advised me of any investigation and again these allegations are being made in this House without any substance and any evidence."Aspersions have been cast time-after-time. I have no knowledge of any criminal investigation that deals with the perversion of justice with respect to the Attorney General."Contacted yesterday on Rowley's claim Ramlogan said it was "foolishness."
Replying to other queries by Rowley on why Government decided to extend the retirement age of Defence Force officers – according to Rowley "hours" before the retirement date of Chief of Defence Staff Major General Kenrick Maharaj – Persad-Bissessar said the move had been made before and was not unprecedented.She said work had been done by the Cabinet well before Maharaj's retirement date.
OLIVE BRANCH TO WARNER
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar elicited a double take and loud "Ohhhhhs!" of surprise from both sides of the Parliament yesterday when she teased one-time colleague, now political adversary Jack Warner, about a possible PP comeback.The PM was replying to PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley's queries on whether public officers/servants were paid to assist Government's Christmas toy drive.
She said all Government MPs were involved and to the best of her knowledge people who were did so voluntarily, were not paid and participated out of the goodness of their heart and the seasonal spirit.She also noted recent events by the PNM also had PNM people helping there.Persad-Bissessar said Chaguanas MP/Independent Liberal Party political leader Warner also had people helping his own toy distribution drive.
Addressing Warner directly, she joked with a laugh: "You tried to match me... at one time you were very much on my side helping distribute toys also... perhaps one day we may see that time come again, side-by-side."Persad-Bissessar also said work would start on the Point Fortin Hospital on March 26 in a government-to-government arrangement with Austria.
She added the $410 million Constituency Development Fund allocated for in the 2015 budget would not come on stream until legislation for transparency and accountability was in place. She also said there was no plan to sell Federation villas.
ABOUT E-MAILGATE
In May 2013, Rowley read a thread of emails purporting to bear similar addresses of the PM, AG, Minister of National Security Gary Griffith and Works Minister Suruj Rambachan, detailing a criminal conspiracy to harm a journalist, spy on the DPP Roger Gaspard, remove the DPP from office by getting Chief Justice Ivor Archie to appoint him as a judge, among other things.
The conversation in the emails took place as the government was facing heat over the passage of a legislation, which was later repealed, that benefitted political financiers charged in the Piarco Airport corruption case.Two separate investigations were initiated into the allegations by the Police Service and the Integrity Commission.