I’M NOT WASTING TIME

“But my understanding is that there are specific conditions under which the Chief Justice can be removed from office and I am not wasting time.” Rowley made his view clear, on rumblings within the judiciary over CJ Archie’s tenure, minutes after presiding over a specially-convened Cabinet meeting relating to Government’s victory in the Court of Appeal on the property tax case as well as the Court of Appeal’s ruling to allow the swearing in of two new judges.

Recently, there have been calls for both CJ Archie and members of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) to resign over the Marcia Ayers-Caesar fiasco and also over claims that the Commission is not properly constituted owing to the fact the two members (for justices Roger Hamel-Smith and Humphrey Stollmeyer) are over the age of retirement.

Leading the call has been the Law Association which recently held an historic emergency meeting at the Hall of Justice and passed a resolution citing its no confidence in CJ Archie and called for him to resign from that office.

Insisting the Executive (government) will maintain its distance from the Judiciary, Rowley noted the damage that misleading information could have on the public’s psyche.

The PM spoke of the circumstances surrounding efforts to remove retired Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma from office as he (Rowley) emphasised the need to maintain the Separation of Powers.

Sharma, in 2006, was alleged to have attempted to pervert the course of justice in the trial of former prime minister Basdeo Panday for not declaring a $10 million London bank account to the Integrity Commission.

A tribunal subsequently found that Sharma was not guilty of any wrongdoing and he went on to serve as CJ for two more years, until 2008, when Archie was appointed on Sharma’s retirement.

Rowley recalled learning of the issue surrounding then CJ Sharma during an impromptu visit to then prime minister Patrick Manning’s office. He spoke of the twists and turns which involved Manning who was called upon to deal with very serious allegations made by the DPP’s Office against the then CJ.

“I watched that matter go through all the hoops until it became presented to this country that the substance of the matter in Mr Sharma’s difficulty, was Patrick Manning hounding him out of office. I looked at that in amazement because I knew how it started and I knew what the issue was. “But for those who wanted a different narrative...members of the media have been repeating it as if it was the gospel truth, Patrick Manning, just so in a capricious way, was driving the Chief Justice out of office. Just like that, he (Manning) get up mad one day.” Reflecting on the Sharma controversy, Rowley said he will not be drawn into a debate on the merits of removing CJ Archie.

“So, those who are inviting me as Prime Minister now to join them in an attack on the current Chief Justice, I am making it very clear from now, I have had the experience of Patrick Manning (in the Sharma affair).

I have more important things to do and that is ensuring that Trinidad and Tobago’s interest is protected and that the quality of life of the people of Trinidad and Tobago is improved.”