Kamla: Will Armour be sued for DIC failure?

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has called Central Bank governor Alvin Hillaire to say whether the Deposit Insurance Company will be suing the AG and the members of his chambers to recover the monies lost following Armour’s failure to file witness statements while representing the DIC.

Armour, before his appointment as AG, represented the DIC which was being sued by former general manager Arjoon Harripaul for wrongful dismissal. Armour, junior counsel Vanessa Gopaul, and instructing attorney Elena Araujo did not file witness statements in the matter by the final date of May 29, 2019, despite three extensions being given.

A payment of $2 million was later offered to Harripaul by the DIC upon condition of confidentiality. The matter was rescheduled to May 21, 2023, but was again rescheduled due to the President’s inauguration.

Speaking during the UNC’s Monday Night Report at Hillview College in Tunapuna, Persad-Bissessar asked Hilaire who gave the approval for the DIC’s lawyers to settle the matter out of court on the express condition that the pay-out remains confidential and not disclosed to the public.

“Has the DIC requested a refund of the legal fees paid to Armour and his legal team in light of his clear negligence? Has the DIC reported Armour to the Disciplinary Committee of the Law Association in this matter? And if not, why not?”

She asked whether the DIC had briefed Gopaul and Araujo in any other legal matters, and if steps would be taken to remove them and appoint new attorneys.

“Does the DIC intend to sue Armour, Gopaul and Araujo for professional negligence to recover the monies it has to pay out in this matter as a result of the negligent failure to file witness statements?”

Persad-Bissessar also had a series of questions for the AG. She asked if he would be repaying the legal fees he had been paid to the DIC, as he had not done his job.

“Given that you missed the deadline for filing witness statements in this matter, do you intend to indemnify (reimburse) the state for the damages and legal costs in this matter? Were you insured for professional negligence at the material time and have you given notice to your insurers about this matter to ascertain whether they would indemnify the DIC?”

The Opposition Leader asked whether he had briefed Gopaul and Araujo in any other state matters. She asked whether Armour thought the matter should be reported to the disciplinary committee of the Law Association.