Sharma: I may take private action

FYZABAD MP Chandresh Sharma is not ruling out the possibility of taking legal action against Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley, following Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson’s advice that police not press charges against Rowley following the September 15 tea room incident between the two men. Sharma told Newsday yesterday that he is “exploring all his options” and did not rule out the possibility of taking a private action against Rowley. The UNC MP said neither he nor his lawyers have fully studied the memorandum which the DPP sent to Police Commissioner Trevor Paul regarding the tea room incident, and therefore he could not say what course of action he would pursue.

While the Privileges Committee of Parliament has the power to either reprimand or imprison an MP for six months, Sharma said that knowledge offered him little comfort because the Committee was “70 percent PNM.” The Committee consists of House Speaker Barry Sinanan as chairman, four Government MPs and two Opposition MPs. Sharma claimed that given these numbers, he is not likely to get “the best hearing” before the Committee.

While he declined to say whether the DPP’s advice would affect the Committee’s ruling, Sharma claimed that its PNM members would be influenced by their parliamentary colleagues and their party to rule in a certain way. Sharma maintained that since the incident happened he followed the proper procedures by referring the matter to the Privileges Committee and reporting it to the police. “I did what was expected of me,” he said.