Senator Peyrefitte Disagrees With AG’s Legal Opinion on Lead Government Senator

Michael Peyrefitte

Following today’s Senate meeting, we asked U.D.P. Senator Michael Peyrefitte if he agrees with the Attorney General and the President of the Senate’s position on his legal query about having a lead senator for government business who is not a minister. As would be expected, Senator Peyrefitte says he disagrees with the AG’s legal opinion. Notwithstanding the opposing legal position, Senator Peyrefitte and a full complement of U.D.P. Senators were present at today’s sitting.

Michael Peyrefitte, U.D.P. Senator

“Well, I don’t agree with the legal opinion nor the president’s position. But, that is her ruling and I respect the institution so I will respect the ruling, but the party reserves the right to see what other steps it will take from here on out after consideration concerning the issue. I want to leave it at that. I wrote to her and she wrote me back and I respect her for that, unlike the prime minister who doesn’t answer me. She wrote me back and gave me her answer. Now we will look at it as a party and determine where we go from here, but I don’t agree with it.”

Paul Lopez

“Your thought on the prime minister’s response to your concern?”

Michael Peyrefitte

“I think I addressed that already, I said bad precedents don’t make good law. Not because you did something a while ago that was not correct and it was not checked or corrected means that if you do it now it can’t be wrong. I still stand by my opinon that the leader of government business has to be a minister, but the president has ruled that way. And, the opinion of the AG is kinda incorrect in terms of some factual things they claim to be facts, as it relates to Fred Martinez and Dickie Bradley. But, like I said the matter will be presented to the party and the party will determine where it wants to go from here.”