Friday, February 10 2012

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Communications yesterday announced that President George Maxwell Richards has appointed a Constitutional Tribunal “to inquire into complaints made by members of the Integrity Commission against deputy chairman Gladys Gafoor” and determine if she is guilty of “misbehaviour”.

Gafoor has also been suspended until further notice from performing the functions of the commission.

“His Excellency President George Maxwell-Richards TC, MCT, PhD, has appointed with immediate effect a Tribunal in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution enabling him to do so, namely section 136, to inquire into complaints made by members of the Integrity Commission against Gladys Gafoor,” the Ministry’s press release said.

The complaints were not specified in the release which simply noted that, “the complaints are that on March 15, 2010 and after through January 2012 and continuing, Mrs Gafoor has engaged in certain conduct.” Gafoor has been suspended with full pay.

“The President has also suspended Mrs Gafoor until further notice from performing the functions of the office of Member and Deputy Chairman of the Integrity Commission without prejudice to her entitlement to her salary and emoluments of office,” the release noted.

The members of the tribunal are: former Chief Justice Michael de la Bastide T.C.; Justice Humphrey Stollmeyer, J.A. and Justice Maureen Rajnauth Lee. Counsel to the tribunal is Reginald Armour SC.

The release noted that, “the tribunal is mandated with the utmost urgency and all appropriate dispatch to report to and advise His Excellency on the facts found, whether such conduct and/or behaviour by Mrs Gladys Gafoor constitutes conduct and/or misbehaviour within the meaning of the Integrity in Public Life Act. Chapter 22:012, as amended and in particular Section 8 (2) (d) and (e) thereof and of Section 136(7) of the Constitution. The release was not issued by the Office of the President or the Government Information Service (GIS), as is the norm for presidential press releases, but by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Communications. It came minutes after the police executed search warrants on the offices of Newsday and the home of reporter, Andre Bagoo, in relation to an investigation into a complaint made by Ken Gordon, the chairman, to the police against Gafoor.

Gafoor has, according to newspaper reports, lodged a complaint against Gordon in relation to his unilateral acquiescence to a request form former PNM Attorney General John Jeremie to have her removed. No action in relation to Gafoor’s reported complaints has been announced by President’s House.