By Prior Beharry
FORTY lawyers have signed a petition proposing that the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) express no confidence in Attorney General Reginald Armour, SC.
They are calling for a special general meeting to deal with the issues “in the public domain” about Armour.
The cover letter signed by attorney Kiel Taklalsingh stated, “Respectfully, these allegations, if left unaddressed, have the potential to erode public confidence in our profession, the administration of justice and the rule of law.”
The letter and resolution dated June 15, 2022, was addressed to President of LATT Sophia Chote, SC.
Taklalsingh said the petition asked that a copy be sent to Armour for comment or rebuttal to ensure that principles of natural justice are adhered to.
Sources said that while there were about 4,ooo members of LATT, a resolution to summon a meeting needed only to be signed by 25.
Armour is under fire after he was disqualified from a civil case in a Miami Court arising out of the construction of the Piarco International Airport brought by the State against a number of people including former finance minister Brian Kuei Tung and former Maritime executive Steve Ferguson.
Armour was defence attorney for Kuei Tung and his partner Renee Pierre in criminal charges at the in T&T arising out of the same airport project.
The AG has appealed the decision by the judge in the Miami court to disqualify him.
He is expected to return to the country on Thursday after leaving for “official business” on Tuesday a release from his office stated. It did not give the purpose of the official visit or his destination.
The grounds for the resolution include that the allegations, in the public domain, against the Attorney General of dishonesty, conduct unbecoming of an AG and actions which have brought the office into disrepute and that these actions are serious enough to undermine public confidence in the legal profession.
Another stated that the crux of the allegation is that Armour provided false and misleading evidence on oath, on behalf of this country to a court of law in the United States of America.
It stated that Armour swore on oath that at the time of providing legal representation to Kuei Tung and his girlfriend Renee Pierre in a preliminary enquiry in the criminal proceedings in the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court he was only acting as a junior counsel and participated in a minimalist manner by doing minor legal research and taking notes.
One of the resolutions stated that at the time Armour was in fact a senior counsel and played a more material role by making both written and oral submissions during the course of the preliminary enquiry and there were media reports that he conducted cross-examination on behalf of his then clients.
Lawyers who signed the petition:
- Anjanee Seenath
- Angela Mohammed
- Taruna Mangroo
- Kiel Taklalsingh
- Stefan Ramkissoon
- Rhea Khan
- Kavita Ardita Moonasar
- Patrice J Ayoung Chee
- Simbhoonath Sawh
- Natasha Mongroo
- Andrew K Ramsubeik
- Wayne D Sturge
- Ameera F Khan
- Suneesh Singh
- Desireé Sankar
- Rajiv Rickhi
- Khandace Bharath-Nahous
- Nisha K Persad
- Larry Lalla
- Josi Young
- Mellisa Sookoo
- Crystal Singh
- Jared Jagroo
- Robert Abdool-Mitchell
- Ché Mellin Dindial
- Lester Chariah
- Roshan Babwah
- Stephanie Boodram
- Gina Maharaj
- Crystal Ramsoorup
- Sarah Sieunarine
- René Thomas
- Narendra Latchman
- Dave C Persad
- Lennox Sankersingh
- Vernalisa Maharaj
- Arruna Bissessar
- Kandice Rampersad
- Rajiv Sochan
- 40. Ria Ramoutar
