Panday files affidavit against PM Manning

OPPOSITION Leader Basdeo Panday has filed an affidavit on behalf of Feroza Ramjohn, the Foreign Affairs Executive Officer who is challenging Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s decision to revoke her appointment to the High Commission in London. Madame Justice Carol Gobin was informed Friday of Panday’s affidavit when Ramjohn’s judicial review case came up for hearing in the San Fernando High Court. Ramjohn is seeking to have a judge review Manning’s June 4 decision revoking Ramjohn’s appointment.    
     
Ramjohn, 53, of Fyzabad, was appointed to replace diplomatic officer Bissoon Budhai, who was recently suspended. She was granted leave by Justice Carlton Best, but last week the judge varied his order to allow the Ministry of National Security to appoint someone temporarily, pending hearing and determination of the case. Ramjohn contends the revocation of her appointment was because of racial bias at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ramjohn has named Prime Minister Patrick Manning as the respondent to her action. At Friday’s hearing, attorney Narendra Lalbeharry, holding for attorney Anand Ramlogan who is representing Ramjohn, told Gobin that two affidavits were filed in response to Yvonne Gittens-Joseph, who disputed any racial discrimination at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Gittens-Joseph is the director of Caricom and Caribbean Affairs at that Ministry. Panday filed a seven-page affidavit in reference to his position as prime minister and head of the National Security Council in 2002. The other affidavit is that of Ramjohn herself, in which she answered allegations against her over missing passports. Soorujani Gopee (State counsel) held for Senior Counsel Russell Martineau, who is representing the Prime Minister in this matter. Gobin granted a request to file affidavits in response to Panday and Ramjohn. The State attorney said the State intended to file an additional affidavit. The case was fixed to come up for hearing in the court’s next available Cause List.