The final two years of the five-year term of the People’s Partnership administration will be a make-or-break period for the PP regime. Attorney General Anand Ramlogan is confident that the Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, will successfully complete its mandate. Ramlogan is also promising to turn over his computer and related paraphernalia to the police conducting investigation into the e-mail affair, if required to do so.
Q: Mr AG, if you are called upon to turn over your computer and related paraphernalia to the e-mail investigation, will you comply?
A: (At his Cabildo Chambers, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, late Thursday afternoon after returning from the weekly Cabinet meeting) If it becomes necessary for me to co-operate with the investigation I will have no problem doing that.
But the IT people in my ministry have in fact advised that the e-mails actually reside with the server, so that should be fairly easy to check.
Senator Ramlogan, what does this new development tell you about the state of our political landscape today?
(Leaning back in his swivel chair and passing his hand through his hair) This suggests a new low, below even the gutter politics, and the awesome power that the cloak of parliamentary privilege gives to MPs is one that we must have a sense of responsibility to utilise in a very fair and thoughtful manner.
Are you surprised that all this has again brought up the issue of political polarisation in the society?
This issue has really crossed the Rubicon; it got off to a false start and in fact most are saying it did not even qualify to enter the race for truth because several top public officers and the Sunday Guardian editor Debra Wanser, have flatly denied that they were approached in connection with several things mentioned in the fabricated cyber-documents. So the whole case is collapsing under Dr Rowley.
Based on those e-mails, is it the practice for people to be called on the telephone and offered a judgeship to our courts?
(A cynical grin) Well, that is the point…as we all know the Government has no power to make anybody a judge in the first place. (It is) Something that is well known to Dr Rowley, who knows that is a matter for the independent Judicial and Legal Services Commission, which is chaired by the Chief Justice.
It is impugning the integrity of the Chief Justice by suggesting that the CJ would have entertained such a conversation with the Attorney General, and by making that suggestion he has cast an unfortunate aspersion on a man who I have tremendous respect for.
Do you think, Senator Ramlogan, that this will cast a shadow over T&T’s well-earned reputation as a truly democratic state?
I think the reaction of the public by and large will determine that and thus far the impact of that reaction, and the boomerang effect it is having on Dr Rowley, has shown that the vital signs of those democratic institutions are alive and well. In the space of 48 hours this has backfired on Rowley, and people are now beginning to question his state of mind.
Yeah, but aren’t you hearing differently by callers on these radio talk shows?
Well, politics to an extent, is about perception as opposed to reality and there is a section in both political camps that may not have any regard for the truth but will see things through their respective party lens. But I know that the large majority of people will look at the facts and evidence in the matter, lest we go down the wrong road.
Mr AG, the opposition MP for Port-of-Spain South, Marlene MacDonald, in presenting her argument in the e-mail debate, claimed that sort of thing was the modus operandi of the PP administration...
I think the accusation has its genesis in the experiences they have in the PNM. These matters are well documented and they cannot hide from those undisputed matters.
Senator Ramlogan, if the Government is found to be culpable in this sordid episode should the administration resign, and by the same token, if the Opposition is found guilty should they be sent packing from the Parliament?
Well, I have no doubt that no one on the Government side is culpable of anything and being the central figure in this whole thing, I have checked and no such e-mail was ever received by my account, never sent from my account. I do not own or operate a Gmail account so that thing is completely bogus, fictitious.
If Dr Rowley did not exercise common courtesy, care and judgment and common sense to look at a document that was obviously bogus on the face of it, and gave the country such a shock and sent a shock wave internationally, then he must pay the ultimate price.
Which is?
He must explain to his own supporters whether his sense of judgment and thinking is one that they can trust in light of his aspirations to become prime minister.
If we should come off the e-mail bacchanal for the time being: so far in your term you have attracted a kind of media attention arguably unlike any of your predecessors. Why do controversies follow you?
(A slight chuckle) If you go back to the last three administrations you will see that this office is really a hot seat. Former attorney general and president of T&T, the late Sir Ellis Clarke, pulled me aside and told me it was the most difficult job that he had undertaken during his distinguished public service career, describing it as a hot seat. He gave me a hug and wished me best of luck in it.
What has been the biggest disappointment for you in this office...the verbal attacks?
(A heavy sigh and rubbing the fingers on his hands) My greatest disappointment is the fact that it is a thankless act of public service. I left my private service when I was at the top of my game and I did so with good intention trying to effect change at the highest level from within the Parliament. I did not realise the politics would have been so burdensome.
Your most pleasant moment?
It is to see the level of appreciation and gratitude when I walk the streets to see these people, the silent majority, who appreciate what I do in terms of the fight against crime and improving the quality of life for all citizens.
On a more personal note, sections of the media have been carrying stories of you buying up properties in Maraval, tinged with certain innuendoes...
Those things—you know, you don’t mind when you make a sacrifice and you assume a risk personally, but it obviously hurts when your family becomes entangled and exposed. But I have worked hard and invested wisely to make myself some money and yes, I bought two properties, one of them which I made the final payment one month after I became AG. I have no difficulty to comply if I am called upon to account, and everything has been disclosed to the Integrity Commission.
Senator Ramlogan, the three-year stewardship of the People’s Partnership has been marked by several missteps and what-have-you which might have had the effect of distracting from the positive achievements of the regime. What sort of guarantee can you give that these situations can be minimised within the next two crucial years?
(A deep breath) The Government has learnt from its mistakes; we are not perfect, we are only human and we understand that these two years would be a very testing time, and will define the Government’s tenure and it may very well be make or break.
But we are very confident that having stabilised the economy by addressing those three major inherited problems of Clico, outstanding public-sector wage negotiations and the massive legal claim from the construction sector, we are now in a position to actually implement the programmes that were in the pipeline.
Finally, do you have aspirations of furthering your political future?
Nobody knows what lies behind the door, but I can tell you that I enjoyed working for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar over the last three years. I admire her astute leadership and also share her vision for the country. I am not wedded to politics. This has been a useful adventure and a wonderful hobby, but my first and major passion remains the law, and one day I will want to return to practice, because I miss the cut and thrust of the court.