Kamla: AG subverted Constitution

Saying the Constitution guarantees the right to respect for family life, she said, “The provision of a mandatory minimum age to contract marriage would be inconsistent with these express provisions in the Constitution and the international conventions that TT is a party to that recognises and protects the institution of the family.” She accused the AG of subverting the Constitution and legislating by tactics. Persad-Bissessar began by declaring that her statement is made without prejudice to her firm belief that the legal age for consent to marriage should be 18 years. She urged the AG to state the legal advice he had received that the bill does not breach the Constitution, when was the advice sought and received, did he get Cabinet’s not to delete the parts of the Bill that says it is inconsistent with the Constitution, when was this permission given (if ever) and why wasn’t this Cabinet approval revealed at the start of the Senate debate? Persad-Bissessar alleged, “Al Rawi made the astonishing and shocking declaration that this Government was prepared to legislate by tactics.

This paves the way for anarchy, tyranny and dictatorship.” She added, “The actions of the Attorney General subvert the express terms of the Constitution. It amounts to a dangerous undermining of our constitutional democracy whereby the Executive is prepared to risk infringing the fundamental rights of our citizens and gamble that the legislation would not be challenged or if challenged would withstand constitutional scrutiny”.