Attorney General John Jeremie yesterday threw down the gauntlet to all those engaging in corrupt practices, stressing that none - friend or foe - would be exempt, since no one is above the law.

The Attorney General was making his Budget contribution, which, notwithstanding its brevity (30 minutes), was tough, uncompromising and perhaps was the most significant contribution in the 2009/2010 Budget debate from the Government.

’I promise the people of Trinidad and Tobago that ... allegations of wrongdoing will be scrupulously investigated. There will be no sacred cows, Mr Vice-President. The rule of law demands nothing less,’ Jeremie said.

The Attorney General was non-specific, indicating that anywhere corruption was manifested, he would deal with it. But his statements caused many of his listeners to speculate on whether they (the statements) were referring in part to the revelations coming out of the Commission of Enquiry into the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) and the construction sector.

’The fight against corruption has pitted this ministry against colleague ministries, friends and political opponents. It is a fight that we as a nation cannot lose. Our adversaries by definition are well-financed and highly motivated. In some cases, they are the very elite in this society. But we can ill afford to lose this battle. To succeed, we therefore need the goodwill and support of every patriot. And we shall need your prayers,’ he said.

In the fight against crime, Jeremie also said two critical agencies under the Ministry of the Attorney General, which appeared to have become lethargic, would be imbued with new vigour. He said the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau, ’for some reason... has been idle in relation to serious white-collar allegations of criminal activity over the past two years’.

’That will change immediately,’ he pledged.

And the Mutual Legal Assistance Authority, which is the unit ’at the heart of our efforts in respect of transnational crime and anti-corruption’, ’has functioned poorly for some time’.

’That period of time is at an end,’ he promised.

But Jeremie attacked the slow pace of the administration of justice, bemoaning the lack of judicial expedition in white collar crimes, as well as for capital cases.

In what appeared to be a reference to the Piarco Airport cases, Jeremie said: ’The fact that I have left this job and returned to find prosecutions meandering aimlessly along, fills me with no pride as a citizen of this country. The fact that after seven odd years, certain white-collar crimes are winding their way through our court system in an unhurried manner fills me with grave concern.’

He compared this to what happened in the United States, where persons related to ’that matter’ have been tried, sentenced and have served jail time and in some cases are now being set free in respect of the very offences.

’The people of Trinidad and Tobago must legitimately be entitled to ask questions of the systems governing the criminal justice system,’ he said.

’Mr Vice President, I say with the greatest deference to the Judiciary, that this is the business of all of the ordinary citizens of our country - the man in the street and as a consequence, the Executive.’

He said ’an increasingly discerning public is aware of the slow pace of criminal justice and of the fact that the state has been consistently failing to meet the deadlines set out in Pratt and Morgan in capital cases. He noted that this was ’the principal reason’ why the State has been unable to implement the law with reference to the death penalty over the past ten years.

’This, Mr Vice President, is the business of the Executive and as such, it must be the concern of the Judiciary... Let me repeat: this is the Executive’s legitimate business,’ he said.

The Attorney General said Government had a package of measures to speed up the justice system. He said Government intended to abolish preliminary enquiries entirely. Cabinet had also agreed to legislation to introduce a Diplock Court (a non-jury High Court). And at the High Court level, Government intended to pass legislation to allow for the selection of special juries in complicated fraud cases. It also proposed to bring special legislation to deal with illegal firearms, which was fuelling gang warfare and wholesale killings. He added that ’comprehensive legislation to attack money laundering and financial crime’ was also on the way.

All these moves would bring the most dramatic changes to the criminal justice system since independence, and help in this ’existential battle for this nation’s soul’, he stated. Included in all this was the proposed Ministry of Justice, intended to speed up the justice system. But he stressed that no steps would be taken towards this without full consultation with the judiciary.

Stating this the Ministry of the Attorney General in the past,has discharged its responsibility without fear or favour, Jeremie recalled that three ministers of government were investigated during the past seven years- two (Eric Williams and Franklyn Khan) were charged by an independent DPP, and one- the Prime Minister- was exonerated.