By Sue-Ann Wayow
OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is calling for the immediate firing of Attorney General Reginald Armour.
She also wants the Law Association to investigate Armour for alleged breaches of the Legal Profession Act code of ethics.
Persad-Bissessar said a disqualified attorney general should not be allowed to represent the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
Persad-Bissessar on Monday night accused Armour of lying under oath to a court in Florida about his representation of clients in the Piarco International Airport matter.
She was speaking during the United National Congress (UNC) virtual report.
Persad-Bissessar said, “It is a shameful thing for Trinidad and Tobago when an attorney general to keep his work, to eat ah food, to keep his job will go in a Florida court and lie on oath. You must go Reginald Armour and you must go now!”
The UNC leader spoke at length about the involvement of Armour in the matter saying that he represented Brian Kuei Tung and others since 2002 in related matters.
Armour was involved in the pending case in the Miami Dade County Court between Trinidad and Tobago against Birk Hillman Consultants, Steve Ferguson, Raul J Guiterrez Jr and Brian Kuei Tung.
T&T is represented by the Attorney General in the case by law firm Sequor Law on the instructions of former attorney general John Jeremy.
Armour as well as Jeremy, Bridgid Annisette-George, Glenda Morean, Anand Ramlogan Garvin Nicholas and Faris Al-Rawi were the nominal named representatives from day one.
It was Keui Tung who filed a motion to disqualify Armour who listed himself as a “junior lawyer” and the law firm Sequor Law, which was representing T&T after Armour’s appointment by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on March 16 to the post of Attorney General.
T&T has been given 20 days from the May 2, 2022 date of the order to procure new counsel.
Persad-Bissessar said, “The US judge agreed with the motion to disqualify Armour on the grounds that he was conflicted as he represented Keui Tung previously in the magistrates’ court in similar matters before the Florida court. He filed an affidavit and lied under oath. The judge also disqualified the firm Sequor Law on the grounds that they were working with and for Mr Armour.
“It is a blatant lie when he told the Florida court he recused himself. He and the lawyers in the US were fighting tooth and nail to remain on the matter. The simple fact is that the court is saying Armour cannot represent Trinidad and Tobago as the Attorney General as he is conflicted because he represented Mr Keui Tung in the past.”
Displaying documents she saidd, “In an affidavit dated April 24, Armour swore that former AG Faris Al-Rawi was appointed as the special representative for the Miami matter, while Armour said, ‘I expanded my recusal to include the entirety of the Miami lawsuit to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.’ What utter madness! You have admitted that you are conflicted and still wanted to continue the matter as AG.”
She said under Section 76 of the Constitution, the Attorney General was responsible for all legal proceedings for the State and Al-Rawi, who was Minister of Local Government, would have had his responsibilities gazetted and therefore cannot be in charge of the case in the Miami court.
The Opposition Leader said this was a constitutional crisis.
Persad-Bissessar had several questions for the AG.
These include:
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Did you give instructions on reviewing the memo?
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Did you discuss dropping of certain claims, discussing witnesses and trial logistics, even signing a settlement agreement on behalf of the Republic of TT that was negotiated by Sequor Law?
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Was there a settlement agreement that Mr Armour signed in the matter? How much money?
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What is the nature of that document? Did you sign that settlement knowing that you are conflicted?
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Why didn’t you inform the US court that you were previously the lawyer for the defendants?
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Who will now have the legal authority for management of this Miami matter, if the Attorney General is legally disqualified to do so because of section 76?”
She also asked how much money was paid to Seqour Law and to the new US law firm for a retainer.
Persad-Bissessar asked, “Is our Attorney General guilty of breaching the Trinidad and Tobago Legal Profession Act?”
Al-Rawi who also had his share of condemnation from Persad-Bissessar was mentioned.
“Faris boy, he looking like a saint now,” she said.
