AG says Parliamentary Secretaries’ appointments remain valid-appeal filed

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, says the appointments of Parliamentary Secretaries, Hon. Sarah Brown and Hon. Vikash Ramkissoon remain valid and effective.

The Government has appealed the decision by Chief Justice (Ag.) Roxane George to prevent Ms. Brown and Mr. Ramkissoon from participating in the proceedings of the National Assembly, although they are Parliamentary Secretaries.

“Remember they are assigned to two ministries and they will continue to function in those ministries.

The only thing is that they have been advised not to attend the National Assembly and not to participate in the proceedings of the National Assembly,” the AGtold the DPI on Thursday.

Ms. Brown and Mr. Ramkissoon were appointed by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali to sit as Members of the National Assembly.  The Opposition had however, challenged the appointments, claiming that they were unlawful.

Subsequently, the Attorney General filed a Notice of Appeal in the Court of Appeal against the decision, on the grounds that the Chief Justice misconstrued and misinterpreted the law. An application was also filed seeking a stay of the effect of the Chief Justice’s order.

“That matter is pending before the Court of Appeal and we are awaiting a date for hearing. I am also asking in that application that the Court fix the Appeal so that we can hear the case quickly and either way, if one is aggrieved, one goes to the Caribbean Court of Justice.”

The AG said the proceedings are good since they settle very important constitutional and legal issues regarding the country’s democracy.