By Andre Bagoo Saturday, October 10 2009

ATTORNEY General John Jeremie yesterday welcomed a move by Udecott to vacate a controversial order which had paralysed the Uff Commission of Inquiry by saying he was “happy”.

Speaking briefly with reporters as he left Parliament and walked towards his offices at Cabildo Chambers on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, Jeremie simply said, “I am happy...I am just doing my job. That is all I have to say.”

Questioned further over news that lawyers for Udecott and the inquiry yesterday went before Justice Mira Dean Armorer in the Port-of-Spain High Court to vacate a consent order they had agreed to one week earlier which stopped the commissioners from preparing a report, Jeremie offered little further comment. Asked to respond to criticisms over his handling of the issue, Jeremie said, “I have no comment to make. I have not been criticised.” He however said the Government had a track record when it comes to transparency and accountability in public matters.

“We have a good history of being strong on transparency and accountability in public life.”

But while the Attorney General appeared optimistic over the developments, his former Cabinet colleague Dr Keith Rowley did not share his views.

“This is not the end of the matter,” Rowley told Newsday. “The entire lawsuit should be withdrawn and the Udecott board’s ability to direct the undermining of the commission remains a fact. That is why the board should be removed.”

Referring to the Greek myth of a powerful man held hostage by a sword hung precariously over his neck, Rowley added, “as long as there is a lawsuit pending, this hangs like Damocles’ sword over the report which is to be produced. It provides the pathway for Udecott and the Prime Minister to block the publication of the report by claiming that the matter is before the court and therefore the report is to be kept in secrecy.

“The board of Udecott must be fired. The shareholders, the people of Trinidad and Tobago, demand nothing less.”

Later, speaking to reporters as he left Parliament last evening, Rowley added, “There are people on the Udecott board who feel in jeopardy of exposure. Having removed the stay they are still in the court which means that the report is now under threat. And when Uff prepares the report, this whole thing will start again.”

He dismissed all the manoeuvres as, “a series of legal fancy foot-works paid for by taxpayers.”

“With the passage of a Validation Bill there should be nothing preventing Professor Uff from resuming as was intended in September,” Rowley also noted. “But my position remains the same. I do not think that we should have been bargaining with Udecott. The thing is still scandalous. The Udecott board is in a position to frustrate the outcome. This is unacceptable for people to use the court to frustrate the report.”