* Prime Minister makes televised apology
* US "concerned" over controversial law
* Statute of limitation repealed soon after coming into
effect
PORT OF SPAIN, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Trinidad and Tobago's
justice minister, Herbert Volney, was fired on Thursday over a
controversial law that could allow charges to be dropped against
more than a dozen people facing corruption charges, including
two men wanted in the United States.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Volney, a member
of parliament of the ruling coalition, had deceived the
government by assuring the cabinet that the proclamation of the
new law had been approved by the country's Chief Justice and the
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In a televised national address on Thursday night
Persad-Bissessar apologized to the country and called Volney's
actions a "serious misrepresentation."
A clause in the Administration of Justice (Indictable
Proceedings) Act, which was passed last November and came into
effect at the end of last month, established a statute of
limitation for alleged crimes more than 10 years old.
As a result of the law, the government came under a barrage
of criticism from a broad cross-section of the two-island
Caribbean nation, including trade unions, lawyers and business
groups.
In an emergency session last week, the parliament voted to
repeal the controversial Section 34 of the law, but some legal
analysts said those who had already applied for relief under the
new law might still be able to have their cases dropped.
Among those who could benefit were businessmen Ishwar
Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson who are wanted in the United
States on corruption charges related to the construction of a
billion dollar international airport in Trinidad.
Galbaransingh is a major financial backer of the United
National Congress (UNC), one of the main political parties in
the People's Partnership coalition government, according to
local media reports.
In 2005 a grand jury in Florida returned an indictment
against Galbaransingh, Ferguson, as well as six Americans on
charges of corruption involving construction of the airport
terminal.
Galbaransingh and Ferguson have been fighting their
extradition to the United States, arguing that they endured
seven years of criminal proceedings in Trinidad for the same
allegations and should not be extradited to face the charges.
Last December, the Trinidad and Tobago government said it
would not appeal a court ruling that quashed the extradition of
the two men and gave an assurance that they would face trial in
the local court on similar charges.
The new law prompted a stern statement from the U.S. embassy
in Trinidad last week noting it was "concerned" t hat it could
result in the case being dropped against Gal baransingh and
Ferguson, w h o also face federal fra ud and money laundering
charges in t he U.S. stem ming from alleged "bid rigging" on
contracts for the Piarco International Airport.
"It would be highly disappointing if, after years of
investigation, their case was not brought to trial," the
statement said.
The statement added that the United States continued to seek
their extradition, and the two men remain under indictment in
the U.S.
Volney is the eighth government minister to be fired since
the People's Partnership assumed power in May 2010.
Lawyer Chrisslyn Moore has been appointed the new Minister
of Justice.
