The Pelican Brief

THE PELICAN BRIEF is a 1993 Hollywood film based on a novel by John Grisham and featuring a convoluted plot. But Hollywood might envy the twists and turns in the story surrounding the Ocean Pelican vessel on Boxing Day.

This matter now encompasses a flurry of denials, “apologies” and unexpected developments that not even Mr Grisham might dare commit to the page.

Questions of access and privilege have emerged, alongside debate over legal issues, all surrounding the proprietor, Adrian Scoon – son of Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon – and have entangled Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh and even Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

The proximity of Cabinet members alone has triggered cynicism over whether rules were deliberately sidestepped, in spirit or in fact, in order to facilitate a relative of someone seated at the Cabinet table.

The plot has been thickened by apparently mutually contradictory claims by Mr Scoon, the AG and the police about whether or not, and from where, Mr Scoon received advice from the AG and/or called Mr Al-Rawi for assistance and/or how Mr Al-Rawi responded to this appeal.

The widespread perceptions, accurate or not, that in this country “smartmanism” reigns and that there is one rule for those who govern and another for the governed, are perhaps confirmed by continuing reports of breaches, which are only encouraged by incidents like this one.

Thus just a week after the Ocean Pelican incident, police on Monday arrested dozens of people aboard a yacht in Carenage. One exasperated officer involved said people should stop trying to find loopholes.

“It’s getting ridiculous now,” the officer said.

This situation is ridiculous, but the facts as disclosed by Mr Imbert on the Ocean Pelican are simply incredible. By the Finance Minister’s account, he did not approve an application for licences for the event. Rather, he queried whether the event was permissible under the covid19 regulations, and the request to approve was “withdrawn.”

But a memorandum issued by the Comptroller of Customs and Excise on December 3 put things this way: “The approval has been deferred until the legislative changes to facilitate the request is (sic) made.” What led this division to believe such changes were to be made to accommodate Mr Scoon – and very rapidly – so that his Boxing Day event could take place as scheduled?

Worse, a licence seems actually to have been issued, suggesting either a stunning misapprehension of the minister’s intent or a complete breakdown of the chain of command in the middle of a public health crisis.

That crisis – which extends to the Government’s credibility – will certainly get worse if these matters are not fully, coherently and credibly explained and those responsible for any wrongdoing duly penalised.

Bending or dodging the rules in situations such as these is not about being clever or well connected, but a matter of life and death.