UNC MPs support Kamla against LATT

OPPOSITION members at UNC's Monday night virtual meeting supported their leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, in her public tiff with the Law Association of TT (LATT).

Last Friday LATT called on the Opposition Leader to withdraw public statements she made against attorneys who, in a private meeting, expressed support for Attorney General Reginald Armour.

The LATT special general meeting was called to vote on a no-confidence motion in Armour and for a decision on whether he should resign. Both issues stem from Armour's conduct in an ongoing lawsuit in the US to recover millions of dollars from the construction of the Piarco International Airport.

In its media release, LATT said Persad-Bissessar knew the meeting was confidential, yet publicly disclosed what was said there at a UNC virtual meeting on July 18. She described those who supported the AG as “singing for their supper” and “grovelling.”

On Sunday the Opposition Leader defended her position and questioned whether LATT was the mafia, with a strict code of silence.

At UNC’s virtual meeting on Monday night, Senators David Nakhid and Jearlean John supported their leader, along with Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee

Lee said, “We are proud to have a leader who will risk personal attacks on her character to raise questions in the national interest.

"We are proud of you, our leader, who has yet again stood up for the people of this nation.

"She has been attacked but continues to stand strong, and that is when we are confident that she is the right person to save our great nation."

Nakhid said after all was said and done, those who supported Armour only had one thing to say.

“The only argument they could offer: 'Reginald Armour is a man of impeccable character and a friend.'

"' And a friend!' This is the argument of 300-plus lawyers. You Spartan 300 that you think you are, you more than deserve the epitaph of grovellers and bottom-feeders that you were described as by both Keith Rowley and Kamla Persad-Bissessar.”

Armour said he forgot to disclose his full involvement as a defence attorney for former government minister Brian Kuei Tung and Renee Pierre when he met with US lawyers prosecuting the two and others in a $200 million civil asset-forfeiture case in Miami which has been ongoing for 18 years. The two, along with others, are charged with corruption in the construction of the Piarco Airport terminal.

The two motions brought by Kiel Taklalsingh, backed by 40 attorneys, saw 551 financial members voting on July 15 in an in-person and virtual ballot. The motions were rejected, with 317 lawyers voting against the no-confidence motion and 234 voting for it. The motion calling on Armour to resign as AG saw 301 lawyers voting to reject it and 250 in favour.

Nakhid added that the public and the “man on the ground” knows that Armour “perjured himself and embarrassed the country.”

John, who was the feature speaker, after announcing that the Opposition Leader had to attend a prayer meeting for a sick friend, thanked all who went before her in highlighting the issues.

“The Law Association basically told our political leader she has no business in the business of the country.

"It is the UNC and the political leader who has been bringing a lot of these issues to the table quite frankly and into the public domain. When the Leader of the Opposition brought the matter of the current Attorney General into the public domain, it was her duty so to do, and who vex loss.”

On Sunday UNC MPs Rodney Charles and Rushton Paray also expressed support for Persad-Bissessar. Paray said he saw notes coming out of the meeting to support the AG and found them “interesting,” while Charles said Persad-Bissessar did the right thing.