UNC: No justice under PNM

THE People’s National Movement (PNM) Government cannot be trusted with the administration of justice and for this reason, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) remains adamant that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) should not be established in Trinidad and Tobago.

In a statement yesterday, the UNC declared: “Given the harsh reality of the past 20 months of PNM misrule and their clear and well-demonstrated propensity for dictatorship, racism, discrimination, political victimisation and for frustrating Constitutional bodies like the Integrity Commission, the flagrant abuse and misuse of State power as was evidenced by the Commissions of Inquiry in the Airport, the EBC and the Biche High School, the harassment of Opposition MPs, the Opposition is of the firm opinion that the PNM cannot be trusted with our justice system.”

The UNC claimed that Prime Minister Patrick Manning supported its view about political interference in the Court’s operations through his contribution on July 24, 1998 as the then Leader of the Opposition. While reiterating its own support for the establishment of the CCJ “as a necessary component for the realisation of a Caribbean Single Market and Economy,” the UNC maintains that the CCJ should not be established until there is widespread public consultation and Government deals with constitutional reform in a comprehensive manner. “Any attempt to remove the Privy Council as the final appellate court of TT must also be subject to wide-ranging debate that involves all the peoples of TT. The removal of the Privy Council constitutes a profound and fundamental rearrangement of the structure of our justice system. Justice is too valuable to the preservation of democracy and civilisation to leave it in the hands of the PNM, Prime Minister Manning and Attorney-General Glenda Morean,” the Opposition declared. On Saturday, Chief Justice of Barbados Sir David Simmons rejected claims from the UNC, the Law Association and former AG Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj that last week’s swearing-in of members of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC) was illegal.