Anand Ramlogan

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Anand Ramlogan
Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago
In office
28 May 2010 – 2 February 2015
Preceded byJohn Jeremie
Succeeded byGarvin Nicholas
Personal details
BornBen Lomond, San Fernando, Victoria County, Trinidad and Tobago
NationalityTrinidadian
Political partyUnited National Congress
Spouse(s)Nalini Nanan
Alma materUniversity of the West Indies, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of Westminster
OccupationAttorney at Law S.C.

Anand Ramlogan is a member of the Bar of Trinidad and Tobago, England & Wales and the British Virgin Islands.[1] He is the founder and head of Freedom Law Chambers[1] which is based in the city of San Fernando, Trinidad. He served as junior counsel to the late Sir Fenton Ramsahoye QC[2] in whose footsteps he followed to become the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago during the period 28 May 2010 – 2 February 2015.[3] As Attorney General, he was also the titular head of the bar.

Ramlogan is also a constitutional and human rights lawyer, having been called to the bar of Trinidad and Tobago in 1996 and the bar of England and Wales in 1994 and was appointed Senior Counsel on 30 December 2011. He was awarded the prestigious Express Individual of the Year award in 2004 joining a distinguished list of recipients that includes former Chief Justice Michael DeLabastide, Prime Ministers, Presidents and other prominent citizens for his outstanding work in successfully representing ordinary citizens whose rights were violated by the government.[4]

He is a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple (U.K.), the holder of an L.L.B. degree and a Master's in Corporate and Commercial Law.[5]

Education[]

He received his primary education at the Reform Presbyterian School and secondary schooling at ASJA Boys' College and Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive, in San Fernando.[6] On completing secondary school, he entered the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus, Barbados, to read for his Bachelor of Laws degree where he won several prizes for academic excellence including the Mark of Merit and best all round student.

Ramlogan was awarded several post-graduate scholarships and read for his LLM (in corporate and commercial law) at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London (now known as the Queen Mary University). Whilst at the Queen Mary & Westfield, he simultaneously pursued a post-graduate diploma in Law at the University of Westminster, courtesy the British Chevening Scholarship and the British Foreign Office Scholarship programme.[6]

Private practice[]

He is an advocate who is known for his pioneering work in the field of human rights, constitutional and public law where he represents the interests of the average man against the government. He uses the instrument of the law to achieve social transformation and many of his cases have prompted significant changes in the law. He gives advice on a wide range of matters to public officials and lawyers in other Caribbean countries.

He has appeared in over 50 Privy Council appeals[7] and has also appeared before the Caribbean Court of Justice. Recent cases before the UK-based Judicial Committee of Her Majesty’s Privy Council (the highest court for Trinidad and Tobago) include:

  • Challenging the decision to construct a highway through the Aripo Savannas Strict Nature Reserve, a unique ecosystem which was declared Environmentally Sensitive.[8][9]
  • Freedom of Information application against national oil company to ascertain the basis for withdrawing a multi-billion dollar lawsuit by the new government.[10][11]
  • The correct composition of the Judicial & Legal Service Commission which is responsible for making judicial appointments.[12][13]
  • Challenging delay by the National Energy Corporation in providing information about the ethnicity of senior staff.[14][15]
  • Breach of the constitutional rights of children.[16]
  • Damages for breach of the right to equality of treatment.[17]
  • Unfair treatment regarding promotion in the police service.[18]
  • Denial of legal costs.[19]

He has done numerous cases in the High Court and Court of Appeal in breach of contract, defamation, discrimination, police brutality, medical negligence, personal injuries and commercial law.

Political and journalistic activities[]

Mr. Ramlogan has a distinguished record in public service and has served on many committees and statutory bodies such as the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago, the Law Reform Commission, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Commission of Enquiry into the Administration of Justice and the Vision 2020 plan for Constitutional Reform.[20]

Anand entered politics as a candidate for the Congress of the People (COP) under the leadership of Professor Winston Dookeran. He contested the seat for the constituency of Tabaquite in 2007 but subsequently re-joined the United National Congress after Kamla Persad-Bissessar was elected political leader.[21] He was subsequently appointed a government senator and Attorney General.[22][20]

Prior to his appointment as Attorney General, Ramlogan was a prominent lawyer who had become a household name for championing the legal cause of many poor and downtrodden citizens. He also won many historic cases against the People's National Movement government for persons such as former CEO of the San Fernando City Corporation Marlene Coudray, Devant Maharaj, Feroza Ramjohn, George Daniel and Damien Belfonte.[23]

Anand was also an active member of the media, hosting a radio talk show with radio 90.5 FM, was a columnist with the leading daily newspapers, the Sunday Guardian, the Express and the Newsday newspapers for many years.[24] His views are sought after by the media on a wide range of legal, social and political issues.  

Attorney generalship[]

On 26 May 2010, two days after the success of the People's Partnership in the 2010 General Election, Anand Ramlogan was appointed a Senator and Attorney General by Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Under Section 75 (2) of the constitution, the Attorney General must be appointed forthwith after the prime minister in order for the Cabinet to be properly established.[25]

On 2 February 2015, Ramlogan was asked to resign by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar due to allegations that he attempted to bribe a witness in a defamation case between himself and opposition leader Keith Rowley by offering the witness a job in return for refusing to file a witness statement in support of Rowley's case.[26] He has denied any wrongdoing and claims that he is the victim of a political conspiracy because he is a thorn in the government's side.[27]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Our Team » Freedom Law Chambers". 2 February 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Privy Council pays tribute to Sir Fenton". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  3. ^ "PAST ATTORNEY GENERALS – Ministry of the AGLA". Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Anand Ramlogan". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Law - Queen Mary University of London". www.qmul.ac.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Current Members". ttparliament.org. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Doughty Street Chambers Profile View". Doughty Street Chambers. Retrieved 14 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Fishermen and Friends of the Sea v Environmental Management Authority and Others - [2018] UKPC 24". vLex. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Fishermen and Friends of the Sea v Environmental Management Authority and others" (PDF). Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Retrieved 14 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Christopher Knight in Privy Council FOIA Appeal". 11KBW. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Maharaj v Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd - [2019] UKPC 21". vLex. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago v Maharaj (Trinidad and Tobago)" (PDF). Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Retrieved 14 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Achong, Derek. "Privy Council rules JLSC not properly constituted". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Devant wins at Privy Council". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Equitable governance?". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 15 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ Court, The Supreme. "Commissioner of Prisons and another (Respondents) v Seepersad and another (Appellants) (Trinidad and Tobago) - Judicial Committee of the Privy Council". www.jcpc.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  17. ^ Court, The Supreme. "Central Broadcasting Services Ltd and another (Appellants) v The Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago (Respondent) (Trinidad and Tobago) - Judicial Committee of the Privy Council". www.jcpc.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  18. ^ Court, The Supreme. "Seukeran Singh (Respondent) v Commissioner of Police (Appellant) (Trinidad and Tobago) - Judicial Committee of the Privy Council". www.jcpc.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  19. ^ Court, The Supreme. "Singh (Appellant) v Public Service Commission (Respondent) (Trinidad and Tobago) - Judicial Committee of the Privy Council". www.jcpc.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Trinidad and Tobago Parliament". www.ttparliament.org. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  21. ^ "Ramlogan: No room for third party in T&T". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 15 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "Anand Ramlogan is AG". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  23. ^ Achong, Derek. "Privy Council: Revocation and veto by Manning unfair". www.guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  24. ^ "Caribbean Mission Report" (PDF). International Press Institute. Retrieved 14 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-12-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  26. ^ "AG resigns, PM reshuffles". The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  27. ^ "Anand Ramlogan: 'No weapon formed against me shall prosper'". www.looptt.com. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
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