THE Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago said it is deeply concerned about what appear to be unwarranted attacks on the independence and integrity of the independent bench in the Senate.

In a release on July 6, the association said the attacks happened during and after the recent Parliamentary debate on the bill to amend provisions governing qualification for a Prime Minister’s pension and were directed at members of the independent bench who did not support the bill.

“As regards the bill to amend the provisions governing qualification for a Prime Minister’s pension, while some Independent Senators did not support the bill, others did, and accordingly, the bill was passed. It is not clear what rational basis there is for suggesting that the Independent Senators who supported the bill were independent and free of opposition influence, but that those who did not support the bill were not.”