During the post-cabinet briefing, Dr. Rowley responded to former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday’s allegations that him and his Government are out to crush the Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard.
• Panday made the statement while speaking with reporters at a cocktail reception in honour of newly inaugurated President Christine Kangaloo at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) on Monday 20th March.
• Dr. Rowley responded by saying, “when Basdeo Panday came out to have a few drinks with us, he must have had the drinks already.
• Dr. Rowley rubbished Panday’s statements saying that it was “absolute hogwash”.
On Monday 20th March, 2023: during the cocktail reception, Panday told reporters that there is obviously pressure being put upon the DPP and that the political powers can crush him and probably will crush him.
• Panday said it appeared that Dr. Rowley felt empowered to go after an independent office such as the DPP, on a political platform because the constitution offers little protection from interference.
• Panday went on to say “he can do so because there is no separation of powers, which is my point. He should not be able to do that and he would not be able to do that if there wasn’t a separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary,” he said.
• Panday who has made numerous calls for constitutional reform said the current system allows for arms of government to be “mangled together.”
