Senator Frederick may face disciplinary action

Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan says he is seriously considering making recommendations that disciplinary action be brought against Senator Vynnette Frederick for claims that she misled the Court of Appeal in a matter relating to the December 13, 2010 General Elections.{{more}}

On May 31, Frederick lost her appeal in a matter in which she claimed that when Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves referred to her as a “tomboy” at a meeting of the Unity Labour Party at Park Hill on August 29, 2010, he was referring to her sexual orientation.

“This is something we have to take very seriously. Although we won the appeal and the matter is at an end, we are seriously considering raising the matter with the DPP, because it must have constituted a criminal offence,” Astaphan said an interview on StarFm last Friday.

The Dominican attorney, who led the legal team which represented Gonsalves and otherministers of government in several appeals, said that the affidavits that were filed by Frederick were filled with inconsistencies and the audio from the meeting did not state anything in relation to the word ‘lesbian’ being used, as had been claimed.

According to Astaphan, an affidavit sworn by Frederick on May 24, 2012, stated that the word “lesbian” was “included inadvertently”.

“We are also thinking very seriously of taking the matter up with the Attorney General, with a view of disciplinary proceeding instituted against Vynnette Frederick for that sort of behaviour…,” he said.

‘We cannot allow lawyers who are politicians or politicians who are lawyers to deliberately mislead the court in material aspects, in order to try to score a victory in the court for political gain. It is an unacceptable crossing of the line,” Astaphan stated. (KW)