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Head of the Independent bench, Senator Anthony Vieira, has rejected claims by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that two Independent senators had approached Government seeking personal favours in exchange for their votes in favour of the ZOSO bill.

Asked about Persad-Bissessar’s statement yesterday, he said in a WhatsApp exchange with the Express that he thought it was an attempt to gaslight, discredit and destabilise the independent bench.

In response to the claims made by the Prime Minister, Vieira stated: “Independent senators exist precisely to exercise independent judgment. We are appointed to scrutinise legislation on its merits, to uphold constitutional principle, and to act in the public interest, without fear or favour.”