Lee: Time will tell

Speaking with Newsday, Lee said “time will tell” as to whether or not Al-Rawi is right on this issue. According to Lee, the party has obtained “some expert information” from eminent legal counsel which disputes the position advanced by Al-Rawi at a news conference in San Fernando on Saturday.

Lee declined to say what that information was or the attorney who provided the information.

Last week, Lee said Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar may seek legal advice on this issue in London, where she is attending a conference. He said Persad-Bissessar will return home early this week and when she does, there will be further dialogue within the UNC as to the way forward. Lee reiterated that the UNC maintains that what transpired last Thursday in Sangre Grande was “an act of thuggery” and the party is keeping its legal options open.

On Saturday, Al-Rawi said, ““I am not confident that the UNC will go to court on this issue because the law is pellucidly clear... I really do not think they have the guts to go to court on this. And if they do, then c’est la vie, (due process). That is what the courts are there for.

We will meet them on the floor of the courts and we will beat them again.” Al Rawi said that according to the Municipal Corporation Act and the Standing Orders of the SGRC, as amended post-2013, that a presiding officer has an original and casting vote. He explained, “The law is the outgoing mayor sits as mayor until a new mayor is elected.

The outgoing mayor lawfully attends to the first meeting and the first order of business is the appointment of a presiding officer.

Last Thursday, UNC councillors and aldermen walked out of the swearing in ceremony at the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation’s office in objection to corporation chairman Terry Rondon chairing the process instead of the corporation’s CEO. Following the November 28 Local Government Elections, the PNM and the UNC each won four seats and also each have two aldermen, resulting in a 6-6 tie in the corporation.