Former minister Mary King said yesterday the Integrity Commission should investigate the circumstances surrounding the early proclamation of Section 34.
“I don’t think (fired Justice Minister) Herbert Volney acted on his own. I am sure that he had to had the support of someone or persons in the Cabinet when he decided to bring Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings Amendment) bill early.
She said if Volney and his accomplices brought the act early to favour friends or financiers of the ruling party, that was misbehaviour in public office and using public office for private gain, which is defined as corruption.
She said this was a case for the Integrity Commission to initiate its own independent investigation. “And I would not be satisfied if that is not done. So I don’t think the firing of Mr Volney is going to take away the problem. It has just created more questions and only the Integrity Commission or an independent investigation can bring the truth to the fore,” she said.
King was the first minister to have been fired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Since then she has fired seven others, the most recent being Volney. They are Subhas Panday, Therese Baptiste-Conelis, Nan Ramgoolam, Verna St Rose-Greaves, John Sandy and Collin Partap.