If you heard a crushing sound this morning at…say, 11:00 o’
clock, it was the sound of the Solicitor General being thrown under the truck.
And the man doing the throwing was Prime Minister Dean Barrow. He bristled at
our disclosure of a portion of an opinion coming from the Solicitor General’s
office. But it wasn’t the disclosure that peeved Barrow, he knew that
would happen, it’s what came from the Sol Gen’s office.
It is an opinion on the Chester Williams case from Solicitor General
Tanya Herwanger. As we’ve reported, Senior Superintendent Williams has
been placed on suspension and he is challenging that in the Supreme Court. In
the 7 page opinion dated May 7th, she concludes that government’s case
is, “fatally flawed” – and to pursue it would only create
more problems. She advises that government should just give up for the time
being – reinstate Williams and then suspend him properly.
But that’s not what ticked off the PM and a few of his Ministers.
He got upset because at the end of the letter, it says, that “the (security
service) commissions decision may have been influenced by various interested
parties namely the two Minister involved – those are Carlos Perdomo and
John Saldivar, the Commissioner of Police and the CEO in the Ministry of the
Public Service.” It continues to say that the office is unable to substantiate
those claims. But it is in writing, from the most senior legal officer in government,
and Barrow says it is most unacceptable.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“I have had a discussion with the Solicitor General, leaving aside
her professional opinion as to the merits of the case which I respect, that
was entirely and completely out of order, to put down in writing some unsubstantiated,
unverifiable report from quarters unknown that indicts the Minister of the Public
Service, the Minister of National Security, the Commissioner of the Police –
is unacceptable and I’ve said that plainly to the Solicitor General.
I spoke to the Minister of the Public Service who was thinking of taking
legal action and I spoke to the Minister of National Security. I have not spoken
to the Commissioner of Police, and of course had their assurances that no such
thing occurred and had to have them bend my ear as to the injustice and unfairness
of something like that finding its way into print, it is a most unfortunate
incident, one that I regret and one that I am sure the Solicitor General also
regrets. I do have her assurance that she acknowledges that she didn’t
see it in that light but that she understands that it was not the thing to do,
that it was regrettable that that found its way into print.
In terms of the merits of the opinion, like I said I won’t second
guess that. I will respect her opinion. I believe that certain facts, she’s
now been given custody of certain facts which may make her opinion not what
it was. But that’s neither here nor there. As you see, she says in any
event, take him back on and start all over and fire him again. So in the end
it doesn’t matter. If there is a case to be made against Mr. Williams
and the way to go, because there were procedural flaws is to start over, then
so be it.”
Barrow says new information has been given to Solicitor General and
the government is awaiting her opinion after seeing that.
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