AG: I spoke with lawyers for Dillon

JULIEN NEAVES

ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi says he spoke with lawyers representing National Security Minister Edmund Dillon in a civil matter in the US, but he does not believe this has prejudiced the position of the Government.

He was responding to an urgent question in Parliament yesterday about whether he, in his capacity as AG, spoke to lawyers representing Dillon’s interest in the case.

Al-Rawi responded that in his capacity as AG, he would speak with anyone who is capable of separating fact from fiction.

Moonilal asked Al-Rawi if he considered his meddling in the issue as compromising and prejudicing the position of the Government. Al-Rawi said, as AG it was his obligation to establish facts – including facts which may dispel fiction, and malicious prosecution in particular by Opposition members who choose to twist scenarios.

“And therefore I am quite confident that there can be no scorn poured on the responsibility exercised in establishing factual positions.” Dillon has been accused of defrauding 88-year-old US citizen Neville Piper of a high-rise condominium in Manhattan, New York.

Yesterday Al-Rawi said it was a civil matter, it was the course of resolution before the courts of another jurisdiction and that was expected to come to an end quite shortly and the matter is one where there are two sides of a story “which obviously impacts upon how one ought to appreciate any statements made in relation one way or the other.”

Also during urgent questions, Princes Town MP Barry Padarath continued to probe into an Industrial Court settlement arising out of the firing of Sport Minister Darryl Smith’s personal secretary after an allegation of sexual harassment.

A question was posed to Smith regarding the payment of $150,000 for a claim brought against the ministry under a non-disclosure agreement and what was the ministry’s policy regarding settlement of claims using taxpayers’ money. Smith was absent at the time (he arrived in Parliament later in the session) and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Stuart Young, responded. He said the claim was brought against the ministry and the chief personnel officer (CPO) and, as with all claims of this nature, the settlement goes for legal advice and Government is guided by this advice.

Padarath asked why a non-disclosure agreement was included and Young responded any lawyer would know in these matters there are two documents: release and discharge, and non disclosure agreement. He said there was nothing untoward about the non-disclosure agreement.

Padarath asked if the Government agreed with protecting the identity of sexual predators in the ministry but the speaker would not allow the question.

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