The United National Congress’ campaign against the Government’s nominee for President, Chrstine Kangaloo, continued yesterday, with Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally claiming she will not measure up to past presidents.
During the Opposition’s media conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, Rambally reiterated that Kangaloo’s nomination would present a danger to the country’s democracy.
“Ms Kangaloo has already shown that as acting President, she aided and abetted this same PNM regime as they unlawfully fired the former Governor of the Central Bank Mr Jwala Rambarran, which, I remind you, has cost taxpayers over 7.5 million dollars in damages and legal costs,” Rambally said.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has stressed that the nomination of Kangaloo, the Senate President, is constitutionally legal and that her affiliation to the People’s National Movement does not debar her from having her hat in the ring.
However, Rambally yesterday said that if Kangallo is appointed by the Electoral College come Friday, she will not satisfy the image envisioned by the framers of the constitution.
“While every former President can boast of achievements outside of the political field, the only achievement of note Ms Kangaloo has ever accomplished is being a PNM activist. As an attorney, her name only prominently appears on a judgement deeming her actions to be ‘illegal and in contravention of Mr Jwala Rambarran’s Constitutional rights’. If Ms Kangaloo can violate the then-Central Bank Governor’s rights, then she will surely violate the constitutional rights of every citizen in Trinidad and Tobago.”
He argued that it would be difficult for Kangaloo to be immune from PNM political interference.
“The population of these service commissions with partisan personalities, if we allow Christine Kangaloo to get into office and to appoint persons favourable to her and the PNM, would decimate the independent character of important institutions in our country and create a totalitarian state,” he said.
Referencing a report of the Joint Select Committee of Parliament appointed to consider the Draft Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago dated February 18th, 1976 Rambally stated, “Some of Mr Mitra Sinanan’s Minority Report was quoted as follows: The President should be given power in his own deliberate judgement after consultation with the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition and with any other persons and organisations as he thinks fit to appoint persons to the following offices. 1) The Chief Justice 2) The Auditor General 3) The Chairman and Member of the various Service Commissions 4) The Chairman and Members of the Boundaries Commission and the Elections Commission 5) The Attorney General 6) The Ombudsman 7) Ambassadors, High Commissioners and other Heads of Missions 8) Senators after consultation with appropriate organisations.”
The report also found that, “All of these, with the possible exception of Ambassadors, High Commissioners and other Heads, are certainly critical positions which ought to be insulated from political influence and control.”
The UNC’s presidential nominee, Israel Khan SC and Kangaloo will go head-to-head for the post in Friday’s vote by the Electoral College in parliament.
The President is elected by an Electoral College consisting of all the members of the House of Representatives and all the senators. If only one candidate is nominated, there is no need for a vote to take place.