Mark: Coup plotter in PM’s Office

He made his allegation Wednesday in the Senate during debate on Bills to amend the Summary Courts Act and Criminal Procedure Act.

Pouring scorn on the Government’s pledge to deal with criminals, he said, "One is employed as a big adviser to the Prime Minister at Whitehall. He was part of the 1990 coup."

At that point Attorney General John Jeremie said Mark was violating the Senate’s standing orders by allegedly imputing improper motives to Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

Vice President of the Senate, Rawle Titus, reigned in Mark by telling him, "You were going good before," although he did not call on Mark to withdraw the remark.

In his speech, Mark did not name the alleged employee.

Earlier, Mark called for the AG to state what steps he was taking to establish a proper witness protection scheme. He noted news reports that witnesses had failed to turn-up to identify two Special Reserve Police (SRP) officers who allegedly kidnapped the Nath brothers, but Jeremie said the SRPs were still being held to appear on an identification parade.

He recalled the Nath brothers had reportedly been stopped by men in police uniform, Mark said, "If citizens are driving at night and they are stopped by men in blue or in grey, what do they do? I want the AG to tell citizens what to do!"