Latest update September 6th, 2026 7:34 PM
If the AG has a case to make on the CJ’s ruling, let him do so coherently
Dear Editor,
Apart from the Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall’s penchant for verbal explosions and irrational adjectives, and in this instance his descriptions of the National Assembly’s decision to make budgetary cuts, he needs to lay out, in respectful language and logical thoughts, drawing on quotations/excerpts on the Chief Justice’s (CJ) ruling, to make the PPP’s case that the National Assembly cannot cut the budget. This statement is made from the supposition- hoping it is not a wild one- that the AG’s intent is to inform and educate the society. And if it may be appropriate behaviour for the AG among friends/colleagues in social, cultural or political setting to flaunt his ‘mastery’ of the English language or his discipline with phraseologies such as “political masturbation,” “violently encroaching,” “naked and vulgar disregard for the Constitution,” etc, many in the public are disgusted and frankly offended by the stringing of phrases that provide no elucidation.
The AG needs not be unmindful that a ruling can be interpreted by anyone who can read and follow a logical reasoning path, and such ability is not only that of a lawyer, or rather, should be expected of a lawyer. So if this is how the AG conducts himself and may have been applauded by his peers for what they think is language mastery or brilliance in his field, he needs to be reminded that such behaviour to the public is not viewed as mastery or brilliance, but rather an assault on their intelligence and serves as reminders of the cliché, ‘empty barrel makes the most noise.’
If the AG has a case to make on the CJ’s ruling, let him do so coherently- this is assuming he can- and spare the nation the verbal tirades, because the more he speaks, the more he confuses the issue, and the more he communicates the impression that he knows not and doesn’t even realise he knoweth not. This society deserves clarity and honesty on the CJ’s ruling, and thereafter the AG or whoever should seek to misrepresent the said ruling should be exposed by the media.
Chartering new political grounds should not be fodder for furthering confusion, unless it is a strategy to keep the society in perpetual disarray and ignorance in furtherance of a political agenda, which at the end of the day is clearly not designed to serve the society’s best interest. The media must not enable this behaviour. The PPP, as devoted students of Joseph Goebbels- Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda- knows only too well the political benefits of zealous misleading, and telling a lie often enough it becomes the truth. The independent media will decide if they want to enable this disrespect for them, the society and institutions of State by allowing the AG to use them as a vessel to ‘report the news.’
Unfortunately, the AG has to be given ‘credit,’ because the strategy (Goebbels that paid premium to using media for widest dissemination) is working, along with the fact that he is not being exposed for his bastardization of the CJ’s ruling based on the case brought before court. The PPP, better than most, understands the media landscape and its potency. They are exploiting the media to the fullest, albeit for the wrong reason. But can you blame them for trampling on professionalism when an aspect of professionalism to report is being abused because reporting is not followed through with accountability and rigorous scrutiny. In our society integrity is no longer worn as a badge of honour by many; as such the people and media have to expose those who insult our intelligence and take our trust for granted.
And while this AG is not of the calibre of his predecessors, Fenton Ramsahoye, Keith Massiah, Shridat Ramphal and Shahabbuddeen, it is not unreasonable for the society to expect and demand propriety and decorum from him in language usage, understanding of issues, and general conduct. The AG needs not forget beyond closed doors every time he opens his mouth he is on public display and it is not unreasonable to expect a display consistent with the lofty standards some previous holders of this office displayed.
M.A.Bacchus
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