By Sue-Ann Wayow
ATTORNEY General Reginald Armour and Finance Minister Colm Imbert confessed that they have acted wrongfully in allowing exemptions to procurement act relating to CARICOM and judiciary expenses.
This is according to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Speaking at the United National Congress (UNC) Monday night forum in Princes Town, Persad-Bissessar said a response was received after Freedom Law Chambers sent two pre-action protocol letters.
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The letters were sent on behalf of UNC activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj.
Both Imbert and Armour had until 4 pm on Monday to respond before the matter was taken to court.
Persad-Bissessar said a response was received on Friday.
She said, “In essence, it was a confession of guilt that they have acted wrongfully in Imbert issuing the two orders to exempt CARICOM expenses and judiciary expenses.
“They admitted it and said there is no need for the court proceedings to go on because we are coming to Parliament on Wednesday with a validation act for those two orders.”
However, Persad-Bissessar said, “They are coming to validate what they have already illegally done.”
On Wednesday, Parliament is expected to be convened for a special sitting to discuss the bill.
“What they are coming to do on Wednesday is to put the last nail in the coffin on the Public Procurement law and to do the last rites and bury the law,” Persad-Bissessar said.
Tearing up paper on the platform, she declared, “That is now not worth the piece of paper it is written on!”
Based on what the government is attempting to amend, Persad-Bissessar said it would mean that Imbert would be given a blank cheque “when you put in this negative resolution on the paper” requiring no Parliamentary approval to sign off on certain Orders.
She pledged, “We will say more of this in Parliament on Wednesday but I will tell you that your UNC members in Parliament will not support this killing, butchering, massacring of the procurement law!”
