Vex Gafoor walks out on Jeremie

The chairman alleged that Jeremie had made "unacceptable comments" about him which caused him to leave the meeting. Before Gafoor’s departure, Jeremie had told him he was going to report him to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) for his comments about "Nazism" after last Monday’s eviction. Newsday later learned the AG did in fact dispatch a letter of complaint to the JLSC.

During yesterday’s meeting, when the AG expressed concerns about Gafoor’s alleged comments to the media, Gafoor said he had no control over what was reported. The AG then pointed out to Gafoor that his comments were reported in the electronic media and, according to Gafoor, the AG then asked, "something wrong with your ears?"

Gafoor said he told the AG that he had no business talking to him in that manner and left the meeting.

Although Gafoor left the meeting at about 9.30 am, half an hour after it began, the AG continued his discussion with the other two board members Virender Dean Maharaj and Malcolm Williams and offered his assistance. During the meeting, a board member apologised for the chairman’s abrupt departure.

After the meeting, Jeremie made good his offer of assistance and liaised with Chief Justice (CJ) Satnarine Sharma to secure a desk at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain, for use as a registry by the board.

He also made the AS Bryden building on Independence Square available to maintain the board’s sensitive files and for the use by its staff. The AG’s third gesture was to secure a courtroom at the Industrial Court for the in-camera proceedings of the board when sitting as a court.

According to a press release from the office of the Attorney General, the three areas of assistance have been communicated to the board in writing with the hope that it can lead to the immediate resumption of work by the board and service to its stakeholders.

Gafoor had rejected the AS Bryden building on the grounds that it was not suitable and the area was a security risk. He said he was only asking for a home for the board with the appropriate accommodation as set out by Cabinet.

Attending the meeting with the AG were Ann Marie Brassington, head of the AG’s Process Review Team and Maxie Cuffie, head of the AG’s Policy and Media Research Unit.

The Chief Justice had been trying to get the board to move out of the second floor of the Hall of Justice. When other means of removal failed, the CJ evicted the board with the help of court security guards.