A lot can go wrongwith political choice

THE EDITOR: Despite what you may think, the President of the Senate is a political appointee, with the person being appointed by the Government. Though the position expects neutrality, it may not always be the case.

Christine Kangaloo, a sitting parliamentarian, is now the Government’s pick to be president of the country. A lot can go wrong with this and the perception of bias would not be dispelled.

The office of President is expected to be unbiased and to work to the benefit of the entire country. With a sitting politician being put in the position, the sense of neutrality and fairness is taken away as that person can be seen to be an agent of the Government that has put her there.

While the Constitution does not say a sitting parliamentarian cannot be president, the words of Lord Hewart, the then Lord Chief Justice of England, in the case of Rex v Sussex Justices [1924], best sums up the current impasse: “Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done.”

Hewart, in the case, observed that what was important was not what was actually done, but what might appear to have been done and held: “Nothing is to be done which creates even a suspicion that there has been an improper interference with the course of justice.”

While the Government may want to believe that Kangaloo will be neutral and she herself will believe that she can be, the perception which has been created will cresult in chaos in what is supposed to be a democratic society.

According to the Prime Minister, being a PNM member does not disqualify you from being president, but it does cast doubt and a shadow about credibility over the nominee. What makes this worse are Dr Rowley’s word that “some people may call it succession planning.” A plan by the Government to have one of its own hold the Office of President?

One of Kangaloo's jobs would be the appointment of Independent senators. A president whose most recent job was a political appointment, who is put in the new post by the same people who gave her the previous job, and who is now appointing people who are expected to be independent is a recipe for chaos.

Another of Kangaloo's roles would be to assent to all bills passed in Parliament. I throw your mind back to the section 34 fiasco and will say nothing further here as to why a sitting politician should not be President.

The role of the President in appointing people to state boards and judges is also too significant for the country to be shrouded in controversy.

Kangaloo is a former PNM Member of Parliament for Pointe-a-Pierre (2007-2010) and she was also a former senator from 2001 to 2007.

So, though she may appear to be the best choice of the Government, the right thing may not be seen to be done by the people of the country. Is there not another person the Government can look at to hold such an important office?

RISHI K HARRYNANAN

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