DEPUTY political leader of the United National Congress (UNC), Dr Roodal Moonilal, says the Congress of the People (COP) is entitled to its opinion.

"In our arrangement, partners and parties do make critical comments on government policy programmes and Mr Ramadhar I think he spoke to the press (on Tuesday), but the only matter I wish to comment on is that amendments to Bills do not go before the Legislative Review Committee. Since 1962, we deal with amendments on the floor," he said.

Moonilal was responding to questions about the COP calling on the Government to come clean when he made the comments.

On Tuesday, Ramadhar held a press conference to apologise to the country for his part in the Section 34 fiasco. But at the same time, he urged the Government to come forward and explain the details that led to the passing of the now contentious Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act 2011.

Speaking to reporters at a cheque distribution ceremony flood victims at the Diego Martin Regional Corporation, Moonilal again called on people to move on and let the Government do its job.

"Like any Government, when citizens assemble and express criticism and so on, we have to take note of the criticisms and the issues, and we have taken note of it. It is not something we dismiss that way, so as we move on and I am sure that we will move on now, we will take the lessons that have been learnt in this matter," he said.

Questioned about the level of support given to the opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley — who, on Tuesday, organised a march from the Red House to President's House as he hand-delivered a petition, with more than 25,000 signatures, calling for President George Maxwell Richards to demand a written explanation from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as to why the controversial Section 34 was prematurely selected to become law — Moonilal said:

"Dr Rowley, as you know is the opposition leader and the oppositions do that".

Asked if he thought Attorney General Anand Ramlogan and Justice Minister Herbert Volney should be fired, Moonilal could only say that the Government was addressing the issue at a pace that has never been seen before.