The Law Association of T&T says the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) must not succumb to any pressure to make a decison one way or another on the Piarco 1 matter.
But it does not believe that Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal was attempting to do that when she held a press conference on Wednesday.
The LATT made the statement yesterday in response to questions about whether the press conference held by Sagramsingh-Sooklal could be seen as an attempt to influence the DPP's decision on whether the criminal proceedings in the matter should be continued or discontinued.
"The Council has had the opportunity of viewing a recording of the press conference given by Minister Sagramsingh-Sooklal. We have not been able to detect any effort on her part to suggest what course of action the DPP should take in relation to Piarco 1, far less any attempt to put undue pressure on him to make a decision one way or the other," LATT stated.
On Wednesday Oppositon Member of Parliament Dinesh Rambally deemed Sagramsingh-Sooklal's comments "a shocking and blatant attempt to pervert the coure of justice."
The LATT did not see it that way.
LATT stated that what ever decision the DPP makes on the matter, he is expected to take into account a number of factors which bear upon the principles of fairness and the public interest.
"He is expected to make his decisions independently, and to that end, he is assured financial security and security of tenure under the Constitution," LATT stated.
"He is expected not to succumb to pressure of any sort from any quarter, and it would be wrong for anyone to seek to exert undue pressure on him in order to influence any decision he might make. But that does not mean that there is any prohibition against anyone, including from the office of the Attorney General, expressing a view as to how the DPP should exercise his powers in any particular case," it stated.
LATT said the DPP has a constitutional function to perform and must have the "character and fortitude to perform that function independently and fairly."
"The DPP cannot be expected to be oblivious to or insulated from the views of others. But he must do his duty, regardless of those views," it stated.
LATT stated that it expects that the DPP will make his decision in accordance with his "accustomed deliberation and independence."