Kamla Persad's free legal committee to help people contest abuse of state

Kamla Persad Bissessar led United National Congress (UNC) intends to formalise a free legal committee to help citizens contest abuses of the Trinidad and Tobago government. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar declared the establishment of a committee during UNC virtual meeting on Monday night. She said the decision was informed by a perceived disparity in legal consequences between the current administration, subsidiary bodies and the average citizen. She stated the UNC's legal committee will not assist people with their private law rights and would only assist those facing abuse of the state and their entities because only a few lawyers take such matters. Persad-Bissessar said the committee would function to aid those who feel their rights are being infringed upon. She said the UNC's legal committee would provide legal services to anyone whose rights are being trampled upon in this PM Keith Rowley led government. "It's that if you don't get it (Covid- 19 vaccination), don't come to work; you are not getting paid. That is your constitutional right. Anyone being discriminated against, anyone being abused by this wicked government, the UNC will stand for you and fight for you. So we will show this dictator that the people of this country are no pushovers. Therefore, we fight for your rights,' she said. Kamla Persad says citizens are being harassed Persad-Bissessar referred to recent events such as protests against the public sector vaccine mandate and poor road conditions across the country. She said those protesting were victims of political discrimination. She stated that the People's National Movement led government has become an administration where there is one law for themselves and a different law for the general public. "Everybody else to catch, but they make sure and take care of themselves, their financiers and their family. When citizens in Barrackpore protested, the same Rohan (that) Rudy spoke about sending them a bill for them to fix the road, but when they protested up in Beetham, there was no bill for them to fix it," said Persad. She said the Trinidad and Tobago police is harassing citizens who were protesting their rights peacefully. She also condemned the recent incident where children were tear-gassed. She said those who felt harassed by the state should visit UNC members of Parliament or councillors and express their plight. She said this service would only be applicable to public matters and abuses by the state, while private matters should be contested through the legal aid services offered to citizens.

Kamla Persad's free legal committee to help people contest abuse of state

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