By Prior Beharry
OPPOSITION LEADER Kamla Persad-Bissessar is calling on United States (US) law enforcement authorities to investigate whether Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General Reginald Armour has committed perjury.
She said, “When the acting Prime Minister (Colm Imbert) was asked today by (Barataria/San Juan MP) Saddam (Hosein) whether US law enforcement authorities have launched an investigation into the AG Armour in relation to his perjury in this affidavit in the Miami court, he told us he doesn’t know.”
The Opposition Leader said, “Tonight, on your behalf, I call on the US authorities to investigate whether Reggie Armour committed the felony of perjury when he lied in his declaration before the Miami court.”
Persad-Bissessar was speaking during the United National Congress (UNC) Virtual Report on Monday.
The UNC political leader also called on the Law Association of T&T not to remain quiet in the matter.
Armour is under fire after he was disqualified from a civil case 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 in T&T arising out of the same airport project.
Persad-Bissessar said that all civil litigation brought by the State is in the name of AG of T&T.
She said, “We are in a constitutional crisis. Mr Armour according to the Miami Court cannot continue to represent T&T against his former client.
“The Code of Ethics in the Legal Profession Act also prevents an attorney from acting adverse to the interest of a former client.”
Persad-Bissessar said that during Prime Minister’s Question time on Monday, acting Prime Minister Imbert was asked under what authority was Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi acting as the “client representative” for T&T after the disqualification of the Attorney General from the Miami case.
Imbert said that sections 76, 78 and 79 of the Constitution allowed for this.
But the Opposition Leader said there was no provision for a minister other than the attorney general to prosecute or defend civil matters on behalf of the Government of T&T.
She cited Section 76(2) of the Constitution states:
“The Attorney General shall, subject to section 79, be responsible for the administration of legal affairs in Trinidad and Tobago and legal proceedings for and against the State shall be taken—
(a) in the case of civil proceedings, in the name of the Attorney General;”
