The NEC appeals tribunal - its supposed to hear Waterloo's appeal of NEAC's decision to reject its port proposals. The government has changed the law to change its composition - and since then there have been successive challenges from the Ashcroft Alliance. First, to the changes int he law, and then to multiple personalities appointed to the three person tribunal.
But, tonight, it's the deepest attack yet - the Alliance is challenging the very chair of the Tribunal. That's high court justice Patricia Farnesse - who is a Canadian.
7News has obtained a letter from the Alliance's attorney, Godfrey Smith pointing out that in Canada she has been an "active Green Party Member for close to a decade" and that she has offered herself as a candidate for the Green Party of Canada. We should note that the Green Party's core values include environmentalism,
By stacking up copious details of environmental advocacy in her political work - the letter argues, quote, "Our client is understandably concerned that, given your impeccable credentials as an environmental activist and expert, unconscious bias could creep into consideration of its $300 million development project which involves major dredging, the disposal of the spoils of dredging and land-use change..."
Smith concludes, quote, "We are therefore obliged to respectfully request that you recuse yourself as chairperson and member of the Tribunal on the ground that the outlined above could give rise to the appearance of possible bias."
That's a hard hit to a high court judge and we understand that Farnese has written back to say that she is considering the request within the context of Caribbean jurisprudence. In the meantime she has adjourned the first meeting of the tribunal which had been scheduled for next week Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
