Prime Minister Patrick Manning is seeking a write-off of an estimated $1 million in personal debt owed for legal action he undertook in 1997...
Prime Minister Patrick Manning is seeking a write-off of an estimated $1 million in personal debt owed for legal action he undertook in 1997.
Acting Attorney General Camille Robinson-Regis disclosed yesterday the PM has asked the Chief State Solicitor for a waiver of $1,072,018.82, the outstanding balance on his debt.
She said Government would soon take a draft policy to Cabinet seeking the waiver of costs in all such matters over five years old.
Manning incurred the debt after losing a constitutional motion when he challenged the crossing of the floor of former MPs Vincent Lasse and Rupert Griffith.
He was ordered to pay costs of $1.1 million, plus interest at six per cent from the date of judgment ? April 28, 1997.
Manning has already paid off $555,000 and intends to pay off a further $240,000.
?It is to be noted that the payments already made by the Honourable Patrick Manning rank among the largest sums ever paid by any person to the State in respect of legal costs,? Robinson-Regis told the Lower House.
She was responding to a question from Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar at yesterday?s sitting.
Robinson-Regis said the application for waiver was being considered by the Ministry of the Attorney General.
She said demand letters had been sent on various occasions to Manning?s attorneys to recover outstanding costs.
Robinson-Regis said the State had no officially-stated policy on how it treats costs owed to it, and has generally relied upon the discretion of the Chief State Solicitor.
She said the recovery of costs in any matter was a long and involved process in which the State has had little success.
?The average quantum of costs awarded to the State in any one matter which has gone to trial is normally in the vicinity of $12,000 to $15,000,? she said.
?Matters such as the Manning consolidated matter (two matters) where joint costs awarded amounted to just over $1,000,000, are extremely rare and an aberration in practice.?
Robinson-Regis said in cases where costs are awarded to the State, each matter must be treated individually.
St Joseph MP Gerald Yetming challenged the waiver application during his debate later on the Insurance (Amendment) Act 2003.
?When people owe money, is it right when in Government to lay down criteria for the establishing write-off policy?? he asked.
Robinson-Regis responded that the draft policy on the collection of costs awarded to the State, now being studied by the Attorney General before being taken to Cabinet, was actually drawn up under the UNC administration.
