Vieira, West condemn Senate attack on court official

INDEPENDENT Senator Anthony Vieira and Public Administration Minister Allyson West have condemned attacks by Opposition Senator Wade Mark on High Court executive administrator Master Christie-Anne Morris-Alleyne during a sitting of the Senate in July.

Vieira called on those who publicly attacked Morris-Alleyne to publicly apologise to her for their actions.

They made their comments in their contributions to debate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Judicial and Legal Service) Bill, 2024.

The House passed the bill on July 3 by a vote of 20-17. Debate on the bill began in the Senate on July 4.

On that occasion, Mark claimed Morris-Alleyne had a consultancy with the Office of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs in 2023. He said the matter should be investigated.

Without calling names, Vieira described the attack against Morris-Alleyne when the bill was last debated in the Senate, before the annual mid-year parliamentary recess, as unwarranted and vicious.

He said this attack came from certain people only after Morris-Alleyne was asked to help in finding a solution to a particular problem.

Vieira recalled the saying, "No good deed goes unpunished."

He told senators, "What we saw and heard on the last occasion is a clear example of that."

Government and independent senators thumped their desks as Vieira said, "Master Morris-Alleyne did not deserve the rebuke and condemnation which was levelled at her."

He added that he had known Morris-Alleyne since their days as students at university.

"Having seen all that she has done in terms of developing our legal systems and processes, I have nothing but strong admiration and respect for her."

He said what happened in the Senate in July was uncalled-for and disrespectful to Morris-Alleyne.

"It is a shame on this Senate."

While he had no problem with people coming down hard on issues, Vieira said he was vehemently opposed to anyone who chose to savage a person who could not defend themselves in Parliament and attacked people under the cover of parliamentary privilege.

"That is inappropriate. It's improper and it is an abuse of process."

He expressed shame over doing nothing to stop the attacks in July.

"True. It caught me off guard, and we were all physically and mentally exhausted at the time.

"It left me with a bad feeling. I went home embarrassed and disappointed at myself."

But he added it was better late than never to do something to correct this.

"I would like Hansard (Parliament's official record) to record that what happened on the last occasion does not reflect, does not represent the views and feelings of most of us in this Senate.

"Master Morris-Alleyne deserves an apology."

Later in the sitting, West agreed.

She said Mark's attack on Morris-Alleyne fell within a plethora of allegations he made about the government trying to undermine the operations of court officials through the bill.

"All of those are irrelevant and not part of the legislation.

"What is contained in the legislation in no way resembles the comments made by Senator Mark on the last occasion."

She claimed Mark has the tendency to ask as if he is always on a stage.

West said Morris-Alleyne is known locally and regionally as somebody with a vast wealth of experience who has contributed significantly to the development of the legal structure in both realms.

She added it was Morris-Alleyne's skills as an administrator which helped the Judiciary to continue to function virtually. during the covid19 pandemic.

"We should be recognising her and congratulating her for the work that she has done for TT."

West expected Mark would not apologise to Morris-Alleyne, saying, "I would like to apologise on behalf of this (government) bench for the attack."

Senate President Nigel de Freitas intervened at this stage to restore order after Mark and other opposition senators made inaudible responses to West's comment.

After reminding senators that he had had to intervene several times earlier in the sitting when there were interruptions, de Freitas said his patience was at an end.

"This is the final warning. There will be no more interruptions for today's proceedings. Should it happen again, I will take the necessary action."

West said contrary to Mark's claims, government is not changing the roles or responsibilities of any judicial officers.

She reminded this remained under the purview of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC), as outlined in Section 111 of the Constitution.