If you heard a crushing sound this morning at…say, 11:00 o’ clock, it was the sound of the Solicitor General being thrown under the truck. And the man doing the throwing was Prime Minister Dean Barrow. He bristled at our disclosure of a portion of an opinion coming from the Solicitor General’s office. But it wasn’t the disclosure that peeved Barrow, he knew that would happen, it’s what came from the Sol Gen’s office.

It is an opinion on the Chester Williams case from Solicitor General Tanya Herwanger. As we’ve reported, Senior Superintendent Williams has been placed on suspension and he is challenging that in the Supreme Court. In the 7 page opinion dated May 7th, she concludes that government’s case is, “fatally flawed” – and to pursue it would only create more problems. She advises that government should just give up for the time being – reinstate Williams and then suspend him properly.

But that’s not what ticked off the PM and a few of his Ministers. He got upset because at the end of the letter, it says, that “the (security service) commissions decision may have been influenced by various interested parties namely the two Minister involved – those are Carlos Perdomo and John Saldivar, the Commissioner of Police and the CEO in the Ministry of the Public Service.” It continues to say that the office is unable to substantiate those claims. But it is in writing, from the most senior legal officer in government, and Barrow says it is most unacceptable.

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“I have had a discussion with the Solicitor General, leaving aside her professional opinion as to the merits of the case which I respect, that was entirely and completely out of order, to put down in writing some unsubstantiated, unverifiable report from quarters unknown that indicts the Minister of the Public Service, the Minister of National Security, the Commissioner of the Police – is unacceptable and I’ve said that plainly to the Solicitor General.

I spoke to the Minister of the Public Service who was thinking of taking legal action and I spoke to the Minister of National Security. I have not spoken to the Commissioner of Police, and of course had their assurances that no such thing occurred and had to have them bend my ear as to the injustice and unfairness of something like that finding its way into print, it is a most unfortunate incident, one that I regret and one that I am sure the Solicitor General also regrets. I do have her assurance that she acknowledges that she didn’t see it in that light but that she understands that it was not the thing to do, that it was regrettable that that found its way into print.

In terms of the merits of the opinion, like I said I won’t second guess that. I will respect her opinion. I believe that certain facts, she’s now been given custody of certain facts which may make her opinion not what it was. But that’s neither here nor there. As you see, she says in any event, take him back on and start all over and fire him again. So in the end it doesn’t matter. If there is a case to be made against Mr. Williams and the way to go, because there were procedural flaws is to start over, then so be it.”

Barrow says new information has been given to Solicitor General and the government is awaiting her opinion after seeing that.