DAREECE POLO
Senior Reporter
dareece.polo@guardian.co.tt
Laventille West MP Kareem Marcelle is accusing Government of hypocrisy after Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein claimed the People’s National Movement (PNM) spent $1 billion on legal briefs from the Attorney General’s Office during its nine years in office.
In a fiery maiden contribution to the Lower House yesterday, Marcelle pushed back by highlighting figures paid to attorneys between 2010 and 2015 under the People’s Partnership administration—several of whom are now sitting ministers.
He claimed King’s Counsel Vincent Nelson received $27 million from the AG’s Office, plus $12.1 million from state agencies, totalling $39.5 million.
Marcelle also alleged that Defence Minister and Toco/Sangre Grande MP Wayne Sturge received $2.7 million in briefs from the AG’s Office, along with $747,000 from other agencies. Additionally, he noted that Justice Minister and Aranguez/St Joseph MP Devesh Maharaj received $1.1 million in briefs from the AG’s Office.
However, Marcelle faced pushback when he attempted to raise the legal bill of House Speaker Jagdeo Singh, not from the Speaker himself, but from Government MPs.
As Marcelle referenced “learned senior Jagdeo Singh,” murmurs erupted from the Government bench. He quickly responded, saying he had remained silent during others’ contributions and expected the same courtesy. But Caroni Central MP David Lee intervened, citing Standing Order 48(1).
“There’s an overarching principle, Member for Laventille West, I am not going to stop you... But there’s an overarching principle; you should not bring the Speaker into the debate,” Singh advised. “But I am not going to stop you.”
Marcelle defended his decision, saying precedent had been set when Port-of-Spain South MP Keith Scotland was “berated, being denigrated, dog whistled concerning his eminent silk and the legal fees. Nobody should be prohibited,” he said.
He went on to commend Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles for previously advising MPs to remain silent during maiden contributions, advice he said was ignored during his own speech.
Telling the House to “buckle up and prepare for the ride,” Marcelle continued, “If one Jagdeo Singh received $24.5 million between...” However, he was interrupted by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, who invoked Standing Order 48(8).
Moonilal reminded the House that the Speaker is a sitting member of Parliament.
Standing Order 48(8) prohibits MPs from raising allegations against the President, MPs, judges, or judicial officers during regular debates, unless through a formal, substantive motion.
The Speaker refrained from making a ruling, instead addressing Marcelle directly: “Member, I’m going to leave that to your discretion. Your standing order is there. I am going to leave it to your discretion because, of course, I have an interest to serve in it. So, I’m going to leave it entirely to your discretion as to how you approach this.”