The Office of the Governor General says Sir Rodney Williams cannot call a
Commission of Inquiry, without the request of the cabinet, or a duly authorised
Minister. The Office issued a media release on Tuesday afternoon, making it clear
that this is supported by the legal opinions of two prominent King’s Counsels,
Gregory Jones and Allan S. Wood, who acted independently of each other. The
statement says this is also clear in a “written legal opinion dated 18 September
2002, held by the Governor General’s office and obtained by the previous
Governor General from a specialist independent counsel in London.”
The statement says: “In summary, the inability of the Governor General lawfully,
to act alone in this matter, is well-established. The Governor General is bound by
his oath of office to act in accordance with the established law.”
The media release comes in the wake of calls from the main opposition, United
Progressive Party, for the Governor General to independently establish a
Commission of Inquiry surrounding the arrival of West African migrants on
Antigua Airways flights.
There was a picket outside Government House on Tuesday morning to intensify
pressure on the Governor General on this matter.
