The Prime Minister's silence on the Section 34 controversy is intolerable and people must come out today and march in an effort to demand that she explain to the country what exactly happened, says Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.

"The Prime Minister's behaviour on this matter is quite outrageous. She as head of the Cabinet came to the Parliament and did not participate in the debate in a matter which she had the responsibility ... and the woman does not say a word as if she is too big to be spoken to or to the people for whom she works," said Rowley.

"The Prime Minister's conduct is intolerable which is why the petition tomorrow (today) which we will deliver to the President will demand an explanation from the Prime Minister as to why her Cabinet did what it did," Rowley told the Express by phone.

He also said the Law Association's statements further compound the call for Justice Minister Herbert Volney to be removed.

Rowley will be leading a march today at 1 p.m. from the Red House to President's House where he will deliver a petition on the Section 34 fiasco to the President.

Rowley said the latest statement from the Law Association yesterday emphasises "how this matter was surreptitiously handled and should be clear to all citizens that all was not well here and one should judge the comments from the Law Association, the comments from the Chief Justice that all along there was an intention to mislead".

Rowley reiterated that the Parliament was given assurances by the Government that the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act would not be proclaimed until legislative infrastructure and rules were in effect.

He said all parliamentarians left the Parliament with the impression that the matter would be handled in a certain way and instead the Cabinet moved on its own in secret action to proclaim Section 34 of the Act.

The accusation against the Prime Minister, he said, is that she led a Cabinet that misled the Parliament and created an avenue for legislation which favoured certain people and prevented them from having their day in court.

"The Prime Minister's position is quite intolerable and in any properly run democratic system the Prime Minister would not be in office and that is why we are asking the President to demand of the Prime Minister for the benefit of the public a proper explanation as to why her Cabinet did what it did, it defies logic, it defies the assurances to the Parliament," said Rowley.

Rowley said an application was made for the march to take place today but there was no word on whether it was granted.

"We anticipate that it will be granted because there is no reason why it should not be," said Rowley.

Awaiting permission Up to press time last night permission had not yet been granted by the police to Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley to march from the Red House to President's House today. AASP Joanne Archie of the Police's Communications Unit confirmed yesterday that Rowley had applied for a permit to march and it had been forwarded to the Port of Spain Division for their attention. Issues such as the overall safety of the marchers as well as the availability of manpower are considered in these discussions. The march (if allowed) is scheduled to commence at 1 p.m.