Devant: Is ‘Moonilal warrant’ a fake?

Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis reading in Parliament of a search warrant allegedly issued for Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal is an issue that should be of concern to all right-thinking citizens. What she read may even be a fake.

So said former transport minister Devant Maharaj, yesterday, as he condemned Robinson-Regis’ actions on Thursday.

During her contribution to the budget debate, Robinson-Regis alleged the warrant was issued to Moonilal in connection with committing misconduct in public office and corruptly giving advantages as an inducement or reward.

She added the warrant, taken out under the Indictable Preliminary Offences Act, was issued in the County of St Patrick by Inspector Derrick Walker of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau and signed by acting Chief Magistrate Maria Busby Earle-Caddle.

But in a statement, Maharaj said TT’s parliamentary democracy was predicated upon the separation of powers and Robinson-Regis crossed the line that separated the legislative/executive from the other arms of Government.

“One of these checks and balances includes the political insulation of the police.

“Robinson-Regis has now stepped over this rubicon in the Parliament,” he said, alleging the Government also had a hand in the firing of acting Port Authority CEO and general manager Charmaine Lewis and the Public Transport Service Corporation’s Ronald Forde after he appeared before a Joint Select Committee.

Maharaj said Moonilal was not “hiding under the covers at home or under a rock.

“If the police had Dr Moonilal as a person of interest they knew where to find him.

“Dr Moonilal has actually written to the Commissioner of Police via his attorney at law as he has never been served any warrant.

“The warrant in question began circulating on social media since late August 2017 but to date there has been no official confirmation from the relevant authorities that the warrant is a genuine warrant.

“As a responsible Member of Parliament I do not believe that Robinson-Regis relied on this social media posting without verifying it.”

Maharaj asked: “Therefore, what warrant did Minister Robinson-Regis actually read into the Hansard? Is Minister Robinson-Regis privy to documentation that is yet to be served or is Minister Robinson-Regis reading a fake warrant?”

Maharaj said the philosophical underpinning of the Government “with these naked but sophisticated abuses of the Parliament is deeply worrisome for our country’s democracy.”