The Office of the Attorney General intends to file an appeal against the ruling by Justice Devindra Rampersad in favour of Gary Griffith, in Griffith’s lawsuit against the Prime Minister, the National Security Council and others, concerning the FUL Audit Report.
In a release on Tuesday, the office of the AGLA said: “The injunction restrains the Honourable Prime Minister from laying an executive summary of the FUL Audit Report of the Firearms Audit Committee or any part thereof, in the Parliament,” the AG’s Office explains in an official statement on the matter.
“On behalf of the State, the Attorney General assured Mr. Griffith that there would be no publication authorized by the State or its agencies of the Audit Report or any summary thereof, unless and until all persons affected by findings therein are given that opportunity,” it noted.
“The Office of the Attorney General advises that an immediate appeal is being filed urgently to correct errors made by this ruling,” the release revealed.
In his lawsuit, Griffith claimed that when the National Security Minister announced that an audit would be conducted in the distribution of Firearms Users Licenses in November 2021, no legal basis was given for the appointment of the Audit Committee, neither its terms of reference, nor a time frame for completion.
Griffith claimed he was never contacted for an interview while the committee conducted its investigations and produced its report between November 2021 and July 2022.
However, the AG’s Office stated in its release that proper process and procedure were followed with regard to the FUL Audit Report.
“The facts are and the evidence demonstrates that Mr. Griffith was informed that consideration was being given as to whether there were persons adversely affected by findings in the FUL Audit Report, who may not have an had an opportunity to comment and make representations on the matters giving rise to those findings and, if there are such persons, as to what steps ought to be taken to afford those persons an opportunity to comment and make representations prior to the Report or any summary thereof being reported to Parliament,” the AG’s Office stated.
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