By Prior Beharry
WHY was the home of the operator of the MV Ocean Pelican searched by the police?
This is one of the questions being asked by Executive Director of the Citizens Union of Trinidad and Tobago Phillip Edward Alexander.
In a release on Thursday, Alexander asked, “Why would police need to search Adrian Scoon’s home for the record of who signed the special license in the boat/restaurant affair?
“Wouldn’t there be a record of that in Customs?
“Shouldn’t there?
“If not, why not? Why must everything in this country be run like a corner shop?
“Who called for that search? Who signed that warrant? Were efforts made to find the record in Customs and Excise before invading this man’s home?”
Scoon and more than 100 passengers on board the Ocean Pelican were held on Boxing Day for breaching the Public Health Regulations. No charge has been laid.
He has maintained that he was not operating a party boat against the regulations but was granted a special licence for it to operate as a restaurant.
That licence has since been revoked and Minister of Finance Colm Imbert said he did not approve it and an investigation was launched in the matter.
There were media reports that police searched the home of Scoon looking for the special licenced on Wednesday. Scoon has said that he returned it to Customs and Excise.
In his release Alexander said, warrants issued in developed countries were specific in nature and nothing found in a search outside the scope of the warrant is admissible in a court of law.
He added, “For good reason. To prevent political manipulation of law enforcement and it being used like a big stick or worse against those considered enemies of the government.
“Why can’t we have that? THAT law so hard to copy and enact?”
Alexander said, “Why can’t we have justice and a rule of law without having to loophole and abuse the same law to beat the citizens who own the country and pay the salaries of those doing the abusing and beating?”
He said, “Warrant laws need to be amended to show cause, justification and scope. Courts should not be able to use as evidence items obtained in illegal searches, and anything outside the specific scope of the warrant is just that, an illegal search.”
