'Questioned for his mouth?'

Minority Assemblyman Farley Augustine
Minority Assemblyman Farley Augustine

Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) Assemblyman Farley Augustine says he intends to push for changes to the legislation regarding sedition.

This comes in the wake of PDP political leader Watson Duke being questioned by police on Monday. The police confirmed on Monday night, via a press release, that Duke was being questioned but did not elaborate on the nature of the topic of discussion.

Augustine believes he is being questioned by Special Branch police for statements he made.

Addressing a news conference at the PDP's uptown Scarborough headquarters, on Tuesday, Augustine told reporters Duke is being detained for sedition.

"The reports we are getting is that this is a matter of sedition, meaning that they are looking at a statement he would have made to see if the intent was to incite some violent uprising against the government or against the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago. That's as far as is available," he said.

Public Services Association leader Watson Duke

"But we feel it is absolutely necessary for Tobagonians to know that the minority leader is being questioned for his mouth. That is as far as we are aware of at this point in time."

Farley said Duke, who is also the Public Services Association president, is being represented by Senior Counsel Gilbert Petersen.

The minority assemblyman said a politician and union leader being allegedly detained for speaking one's mind was asinine.

"It may sound ludicrous for those in the trade union movement, those in the thrust and pull of active politics, that one can be pulled aside for doing what is required in a democracy, which is to actively engage those you oppose politically and to also push and pull the electorate in a particular way so that they can respond politically in a particularly way."

The representative for Speyside/L'Anse Fourmi/Parlatuvier regarded the development as unfortunate, saying he intends to address the issue of sedition at a later date.

"At a later point, I will wish to treat with that and advocate for changes to be made via the legislature and House of Parliament. But at this juncture, given that it is an active police investigation, we will wish to have his lawyers speak to the issue at a later point, when the matter is clearer to all of us and we will, of course, share our opinions quite strongly at a later point on this matter."

Augustine said in order for democracy to flourish, freedom of speech must be sacrosanct.

"Once one is not libellous or slanderous, freedom of speech must be sacrosanct, sacred and held as such. But at this juncture, we will leave the police officers to whatever investigations, interviews and questioning that is required."

Augustine said the PDP intends to issue a "highly-opinionated and very strongly worded" statement by the end of the week.

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"‘Questioned for his mouth?’"

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