Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says the Government has been “compromised” by the Privy Council ruling on Monday in favour of UNC activist Ravi Balgobin-Maharaj.
The ruling allows the activist to pursue a lawsuit to seek disclosure in the State’s decision to withdraw a US$97 million lawsuit against former Petrotrin executive chairman Malcolm Jones.
Addressing supporters at the North Eastern College in Sangre Grande on Monday night, Persad-Bissessar said the decision by the Government to withdraw the lawsuit, was a “political move and you know it was.”
She said the attorney who gave advice in the matter, British Queen’s Counsel Vincent Nelson was the very same attorney who advised former attorney general Anand Ramlogan, SC, to go after Jones.
“It was the same Nelson who advised the present AG to drop the charges. This is a compromise of the Government,” Persad-Bissessar said, as she noted that the decision was made one month after the government came into office in 2015.
“Coincidence? It seems the pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together,” Persad-Bissessar said.
Persad-Bissessar said she was “happy to know” that the Privy Council had ruled in favour of information becoming available to the public.
In her speech, Persad-Bissessar quoted excerpts of the 15-page judgement, in which the Privy Council granted Balgobin-Maharaj leave to challenge Petrotrin’s decision to refuse to release documents, which Nelson based his advice on, to him.
The Privy Council’s decision did not mean that the documents should be released to Balgobin-Maharaj but rather that he had a valid claim against Petrotrin, which is to be determined before a High Court Judge.
Persad-Bissessar focused on the British Law Lords’ brief summary on allegations of political interference in withdrawing the case against Jones and sought to reiterate them.
“How did the Minister of Communications (Maxie Cuffie) know three days before the advice was given by Vincent Nelson, QC, that the claim would be withdrawn?
“How did the minister know that the advice would be accepted by the Board of Petrotrin?” she asked.
She also noted that the Privy Council suggested that disclosure of the requested documents would be in the public’s interest as it would help resolve the allegations.
Persad-Bissessar also noted that current Communications Minister Stuart Young also served on Jones’ legal team for the lawsuit.
Persad-Bissessar promised that if she is elected in the next election, she and her government would attempt to reopen Petrotrin’s refinery operation, which was shut down last year as part of the organisation’s restructuring exercise.