• Sir James Mitchell to be summoned or Salmoned?

HARD BALL

Commissioner of the Ottley Hall Enquiry Justice Ephraim Georges said that plans are actively being pursued to issue a summons or a Salmon letter to former Prime Minister Sir James Mitchell.

Georges was responding to a question by counsel for the commission Anthony Astaphan, who enquired as to what steps should be taken to respond to a letter by Ramesh Maharaj, counsel for the former prime minister.{{more}}

Maharaj, in a letter dated November 18, 2003 requested certain documents from the commission before his client could be interviewed. Georges indicated all documents requested by Maharaj are available at the commission’s office on the top floor of the Bonadie Building on Bay Street.

The commission is now contemplating whether to issue a summons to the former Prime Minister and his counsel, which is simply a call to appear before the commission, or the Salmon letter, which is a letter of warning and details of accusations that he might face.

Sir James is expected to meet with the commission after the March hearings.