AG defends Hinds comment on 'criminal friends' in state agencies

ATTORNEY GENERAL Reginald Armour, SC, said on Wednesday comments by National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds in a televised address on the Brent Thomas matter were not intended to impugn the integrity of the Judiciary.

On May 1, in a televised broadcast, Hinds commented on the judge's ruling in Thomas's constitutional motion, which castigated the conduct of the police.

Hinds said criminals are on the warpath and "we are in a fight for the soul of TT. The criminals have friends everywhere in this country."

He said the police, customs, immigration, defence force, Judiciary and Parliament were some of the places where these "friends" could be found.

In a statement, Armour said his attention had been drawn to the minister's remarks, which "could be interpreted, inferentially, to impact the Judiciary."

"I issue this statement to put assurance beyond doubt on this important subject, which must not allow any room for mischief," he said.

Armour said he had viewed Hinds' televised statements and had spoken to him and was "satisfied that it was not the intention of the minister, in any way, to impugn the integrity of the Judiciary of this country, either in any particular matter or generally.

"The minister, like all members of the Government of this country, has a healthy respect for the integrity and exceptional competence of our Judiciary, a fact which is amply recorded as we continue to seek to persuade the parliamentary opposition to support legislation to make the Caribbean Court of Justice – our judges – our final court of appeal, to replace the Judicial Committee (of the Privy Council)."

Armour also said he had asked to be "fully briefed" on the facts of the Thomas case and for "urgent advice on the merits of an appeal."