AG apologises to Industrial Court appointees

ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi apologised to seven new members of the Industrial Court on Tuesday night.

He made this apology after criticising the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) for attempting to drag their names through the mud. Responding to a matter on the adjournment raised by Opposition Senator Wade Mark, Al-Rawi said the UNC was out of place to question these appointments when under its watch "a telephone operator (Reshmi Ramnarine) was appointed SSA (Strategic Services Agency) director."

Referring to the dismissal of seven Industrial Court members, Mark claimed the court was "under relentless attack." He further alleged the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Energy Chamber were the two main protagonists. Mark said it was no surprise the cries of the employer class reached the Government's ears. He claimed through these new appointments, Government was trying "to undermine the balance in the Industrial Court."

Al-Rawi countered that from May 24, 2010 to September 7, 2015, Mark was silent when the UNC "restacked the court in whatever way it saw fit. He said what he found offensive is that "Reshmi Ramnarine appointees" are now coming to tell Government the new appointments are improper. Al-Rawi said the calibre of appointees Vincent Cabrera, Angela Hamel-Smith, Elizabeth Solomon, Indra Rampersad-Suite, Nazim Khan and Lawrence Achong cannot be disputed.

He reminded senators that Khan was appointed under the UNC-led People's Partnership coalition and has been selected again. Al-Rawi said Cabinet can make these appointments under the law. The appointment of the court's president is handled by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. He said Mark's allegations against these people formed part of the "cloud of doom and gloom over the opposition bench." Al-Rawi said through the UNC's eyes "everything bad" in TT. Cabrera, Hamel-Smith, Solomon, Rampersad-Suite, Khan and Achong's appointments were approved by Cabinet on March 28.

At a news conference at the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Tower in Port of Spain on April 1, Al-Rawi said their appointments are en route to President Paula-Mae Weekes for signature.

He expected they would receive their instruments of appointment in due course.