High Court orders PM to reconsider LATT report on CJ

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A High Court judge has ordered Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley to reconsider the report compiled by the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) on allegations of impropriety against Chief Justice Ivor Archie.

The ruling was handed down by High Court judge, Justice Vasheist Kokaram, at the Hall of Justice this morning as the Law Association challenged the prime minister’s decision not to trigger impeachment proceedings against Archie under Section 137 of the Constitution.

The court ruled that Rowley took “irrelevant issues” into consideration when he dismissed the LATT’s report on allegations, such as his view that the LATT was a “political tool” of the Opposition.

However, the LATT was not successful in seeking to have the judge rule that Rowley’s overall handling of the LATT report was “irrational and unreasonable.”

Archie has been dogged by claims that he attempted to sway judges into changing security providers to the private company that employed his friend, Dillian Johnson, who had been convicted of fraud.

Archie was also accused of using his office to try to fast-track applications for Housing Development Corporation homes for people recommended by Johnson.