AG silent on CJ opinion

ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi could not reveal who provided the Prime Minister with legal advice not to invoke Section 137 of the Constitution, regarding allegations against Chief Justice Ivor Archie. He also could not say what that advice was.

Speaking with reporters after a function at the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business in Mt Hope on Friday, Al-Rawi said, "This issue of the Section 137 lies squarely within the domain of the Prime Minister. I therefore will not be speaking to the issue as it will be entirely improper for me to do that."

Al-Rawi was confident that Dr Rowley "will be providing the necessary particulars where they are to be provided."

He rejected the Opposition Leader's claims that Rowley was protecting friends and family through this decision.

"Quite genuinely I take nothing that Mrs (Kamla) Persad-Bissessar has to say, to heart at all," Al-Rawi said, adding that Persad-Bissessar is "a politician who's fighting a very hard battle. There are are significant issues which no doubt trouble her and her representatives."

He opined, "I think it's all self-serving, at the end of the day."

At the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre on Thursday, Rowley said he had had legal advice that he “did not need to” and “should not accede to the Law Association’s request” to invoke Section 137.

Under Section 137, the Prime Minister has the power to advise the President to appoint a tribunal to investigate claims against the Chief Justice.