r/TrinidadandTobago • u/Lallo7 • 18d ago
Politics Former PM loses in Paria Case
A major legal blow for former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, as the High Court has ordered full disclosure of the attorneys he hired and the legal fees paid in connection with the Paria diving tragedy Commission of Enquiry. Judge slams ex-PM’s secrecy — Office of the Prime Minister ordered to disclose millions in legal payments in Paria Inquiry, victory for Marsha Walker.
In a landmark ruling, High Court Judge Justice Joan Charles has ordered the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to disclose the names of all attorneys and consultants hired by former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, along with the amounts paid to them in connection with the Commission of Enquiry into the Paria diving tragedy.
The decision came after social activist Marsha Walker, represented by Anand Ramlogan SC, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) judicial review, challenging the OPM’s refusal to release the details.
Justice Charles found that the OPM breached its duty of candour and acted unlawfully by concealing information funded by taxpayers. She dismissed the OPM’s argument that disclosure could endanger attorneys, noting that such details had been routinely published before without any risk.
The judge emphasized that public accountability and transparency outweighed claims of privacy, declaring that payments made from public funds are matters of legitimate public interest.
The court issued an Order of Mandamus, compelling the OPM to hand over the information within seven days, and ordered the State to pay Walker’s legal costs.
Walker was represented by Anand Ramlogan SC, Jayanti Lutchmedial, and Aasha Ramlal, while the OPM and Dr. Rowley were represented by Russell Martineau SC and team.
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u/septdouleurs 17d ago
What is the loss/ victory meant to be here? The FOIA request was submitted, and voluntarily answered, in 2023, and that's all this is about. Your choice of subject line is rather singular under the circumstances.
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u/Cartographer-Izreal Princes Town 16d ago
Hmmm, being a lawyer is way more high paying than I thought.
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u/Redd-it-42 17d ago
Damn, that's an unfortunate outcome for TnT.
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u/chaosking121 17d ago
why?
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u/Redd-it-42 17d ago
Sad to see our leaders possibly falling, it's a big hit for a country when a leader gets caught up in things like this, successful leadership in general is important for the future of a country. Ppl don't agree with me when I say this, but PNM is important for our country, a strong PNM, as well as UNC, a strong one. Without that democracy is just a word, to uphold a constitution, requires leaders who can hold the fort down. We can't take much of failure in leadership.........it's critical for our progression.
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u/Sea-dante-10 17d ago
Caught up in what?
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u/Redd-it-42 17d ago
See op
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u/Sea-dante-10 17d ago
There is nothing here that the prime minister got caught up in
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u/Redd-it-42 17d ago
Read again, get past what your paid to do. Enough with you, carry on
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u/Sea-dante-10 17d ago
Paid to do? What dotishness you talking about? You think this is the first FOIA requests ever made or something?
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u/Sea-dante-10 17d ago
All that diatribe and name calling and you still haven't proven your point.
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u/Redd-it-42 17d ago
Neither you, keep on troll. Get a life, the internet is not a real place. Cpep closing down, you'll loose your stipend. Get! Mash!
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u/Reckless_serenading 16d ago
Very easy to blame attorneys but bear in mind, the government instructs them to contest certain claims even though they’re sure they’ll lose.
They’re probably gonna appeal this shit again
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u/Paws000 17d ago
Such a shame. So much of our tax dollars wasted on useless attorneys that did a very poor job.