MEMBERS of the National Security Council (NSC) including Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley are not summoned to appear in Court on November 9, 2022 as previously reported in the media.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Reginald Armour in a press release attempted to correct information circulating in the public that former police commissioner Gary Griffith had commenced court proceedings against the NSC and as a result were summoned to appear in Court on November 9, 2022.
Armour stated that two Court orders were issued by the High Court with the second one correcting the first.
He places on record:
1: By media reports commencing on the evening of Friday 28th October, 2022, and continuing throughout the weekend on different media platforms, the public was informed that Mr. Gary Griffith had commenced Court proceedings against the named Cabinet members of the National Security Council (NSC), including the Honourable Prime Minister and had obtained a Court Order by which those Cabinet members had been summoned to appear before the Court on the 9th November, 2022.
2. The Attorney General has ascertained that two Court Orders were issued by the High Court in this matter, with the second correcting the first, as follows:
(i) Order No. 1, dated Friday 28th October 2022 was issued by the High Court at 4.18 pm that afternoon; by that Order the named Cabinet members were ordered to appear before the Court virtually on the 9th November 2022.
(ii) Order No. 2 was issued by the High Court on Saturday 29th October 2022 at 10.45 am, correcting Order No. 1 and removing that part which had incorrectly ordered the Members of Cabinet to appear before the Court on the 9th November, 2022.
He stated, “Accordingly, the members of the National Security Council are not summoned to appear before the Judge on the 9th November or at all, as originally reported…Mr. Griffith’s application is scheduled to be heard before the Court on the 9th November, 2022 when legal representation will be made before the Judge on behalf of the members of the National Security Council and all interested parties.”
The Attorney General stated that it was unfortunate that the error was not previously corrected by the media.
“The Attorney General issues this clarification to ensure that the public is correctly informed of the state of these court proceedings, to ensure that due process of law takes precedence and, welcomes the accurate and balanced ventilation of the pertinent issues in this matter,” Armour stated.
