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Deputy House Speaker, Senator Ashelle Morgan during her swearing in last year. (Photo: Lance Neverson/Facebook)
Deputy House Speaker, Senator Ashelle Morgan during her swearing in last year. (Photo: Lance Neverson/Facebook)
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President of the Public Service Union (PSU), Elroy Boucher, was among protesters outside Parliament, on Tuesday, and the union issued a statement calling for Senator Ashelle Morgan, like Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, Karim Nelson, to demit office until the criminal investigation in which they are persons of interest is concluded.

“It is important that all people, organisation, the ordinary man stand in defence of democracy,” Boucher told iWitness News at the protest in Kingstown.

Boucher held a placard that read, “WE NEED EQUAL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW”.

He told iWitness News:

“What has happened with those allegations against Ashelle Morgan and Karim Nelson, they are very serious and speak to the rule of law — whether the law is applied equally to all persons or some persons are above the law.”

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He questioned why no one has been arrested or charged in connection with the April 13 shooting of Cornelius John, 60, at his home in Diamond.

John told iWitness News that he was shot by the taller of two men, who entered his property uninvited and that they were in the company of a woman who he recognised.

He said that the woman threatened to shoot him in the mouth if he calls her name again, adding that he recognised the woman, notwithstanding her COVID-19 mask, as she grew up in the community.

“Why hasn’t anybody been picked up for questioning or even arrested or charged. If was the ordinary man, they would have been arrested or charged long time,” Boucher said.

“Desron, the Lavaman, he was arrested for a non-violent act that has not impact on anybody else’ life,” he said of the man who was detained after he climbed La Soufriere volcano days after it erupted explosively.

“But here we have, based on the allegation, a person who was shot, left to bleed, beaten up, but yet, no one has been charged,  no one has been arrested. That’s very serious in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and we all should really stand against that,” Boucher told iWitness News.

ELroy Boucher
PSU President, Elroy Boucher at the protest on Tuesday. (iWN photo)

On Tuesday, the PSU said it felt compelled to make a statement on the allegation surround the two public officials “on the basis that we strive for fairness and justice not only in the labour market, but also in our society at large.

“We want to see the tenets of democracy, such as transparency, accountability and rule of law at work,” the union said, adding that the allegation against Morgan and Nelson “are very serious”. 

“As it stands, public confidence in the legal system is shaken. Therefore, we want to see nothing but a proper and just investigation conducted. Public interest and public security demands that due process of the law is adhered to with respect to all parties involved in this incident.

“Further, we say that posts held by senior public officers are positions of highest accountability, and that respect to human dignity must be a guiding principle in the performance of professional duties and the conduct of interpersonal relations. 

“We encourage the authorities to conduct the investigations in accordance with the law to ensure that justice is served. We also applaud Assistant DPP Nelson for taking voluntary leave until the investigations are conducted and completed. It is a right move on his part in the circumstances. Therefore, we call on Senator Morgan to do likewise,” the PSU said.

It further stated:

“We must not lose sight of the fact that we are a country of laws. The laws of the land must be applied without prejudice in all circumstances. We, therefore, hope that this matter will be resolved expeditiously and that the reputation of our country will remain intact regionally and internationally. We eagerly await the outcome of the investigation into all allegations involving all parties and anticipate that justice will prevail.”

The union’s statement came on a day that Opposition Leader Godwin Friday would be evicted from Parliament over his attempt to get House Speaker Rochelle Forde to bar Morgan from the chamber, pending the outcome of the investigation.

The other opposition members left in support of their leader, while Morgan was allowed to remain in the chamber.

15 replies on “Union joins call for senator to demit office pending investigation”

  1. Totally agree with this statement, things are getting very nasty in SVG,,we have to fight these bold face corruptions,,we seen over the years how vincentions have no confidence in the justice system and how a lot of revenge killings going on,the integrity of the government of SVG is deteriorating swiftly promoting and supporting misconduct in high offices, backed by heartbreaking statements from the PM.

  2. Not only the senator should stand down, but also the assistant Dpp and the police commissioner.
    The police commissioner have list all credibility in this matter and he should resign .

  3. Columbus lie says:

    I said this before and I will say it again. The laws in svg only applies to poor people. There have been cases where vincentians have been charged for using so called foul language while defending themselves or out of frustration. While the same law enforcers are guilty of using the same language an are free to do it. The lack of fairness is also a driving force for crime. Everyone is behaving like this is something new but it have been happening for a very long time.

  4. gilbertsnuts says:

    Mr Boucher is right in what he says, shame all his members do not do the same thing. The unions have all but been destroyed by the ULP government, they have destroyed the very union that initially put them in power.

    What we should see is a placarded march by all the members of the Bar Association, they have been proven to be a cowardly bunch many of whom some are bought and paid for by the ULP, others run scared in case the Tax man raids them.

    The SVG police and judiciary is full of political stinkers.

  5. Please do what’s loving and truth to all people, no violence. G really loves you, pls be safe and get both doses of the vaccine, after 2 weeks of the 2nd dose you are vaccinated fully. Eat + exercise healthy to avoid clots please use a mask even with the vaccine to be ok. Others and I also love you! Luke,14 Forsake all you have everyone and yourself for J

    Luke,16 Work for J, not pay$, then J will give you and your family the food and clothing if they follow too

    Matthew,25 + Luke,12+6 Sell everything and give to poor and keep all giving in secret

    Mark,16 + John,17 Share the Truth to everyone working with others in love and peace

    Revelation,13+14 Don’t take the mark of the beast right hand or forehead only way to buy or sell *Is not covid vaccine or mask, but maybe a microimplant or quantum technology

    Revelation,17+18 U.S. Is most likely the Babylon to be destroyed in one hour, with fire

  6. My people you have seen it now deal with it no time to ease up keep the pressure on otherwise it will only get worst

  7. Take warning says:

    The bible should a ketch ah fire ‘n some ar yo hand and on ar yo tongue, evil wicked and shameless

  8. sensible person says:

    Love, It sounds like you have been smoking the vaccine. It was supposed to be injected into your arm.

  9. The situation speaks to the character of the individual. Any decent person would not require a superior to say to them it’s the right moment to step aside. The individual would have done that themselves. It shows lack of decency and contempt for the rule of law and such an individual has no place in leadership anywhere. The union leader is right and the people of SVG must keep the pressure on.

  10. People its time to sit down and talk.Look what God showed the country (by dismantling the embedded Valcano) it is with faith the country did not wipe off the universe.PEOPLE take stock of your doings /saying& actons as the wrath of GOD is still yet to come.FIRG GOD SAKE’S STOP THE FIGHTING .

  11. I am still a bit confused by the call by these people for democracy. A call for justice for Mr. John is certainly appreciate. Yes I also think that she should be put on leave until the investigation is finished

  12. Love,
    What pulls hit are you quoting? What has God or Jesus has to do with these facts. Are you forgetting what happened to Jesus? The same cruelty was disked out to this man. Jesus had a hearing, but this man hasn’t.

  13. Which law School did Aschelle Morgan attended? Did she passed Tort 1 and 2 ? If so she would have known that rhe rule of law dictates thay you cannot take rhe law into your own hands.

  14. Concerned citizen says:

    There are only three things the police should take into account before making a decision, 1. Was a firearm legally discharged 2. Was a firearm illegally discarged, 3. Was a firearm accidentally discharged. This is not just a matter for the courts but also for those who decide whether or not a person is a fit to practice Law. The optics of this is very bad, and lends credence to the belief that two sets of laws prevail in the country.

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