Political scientist Professor Hamid Ghany says the ongoing court matter involving businessman Dominic Hadeed, his wife, Genevieve, and a relative has challenged the public perception that the laws of Trinidad and Tobago are not enforced equally against everyone.

According to Professor Ghany, the issuance of Preventive Detention Orders (PDOs) against the Hadeeds and their relative represents the breaking of an invisible societal barrier and highlights the principle that all citizens should be subject to the same legal standards.

“One of the things that has emerged is there is no class barrier to persons who can be detained under a State of Emergency. And, I think that if there is a glass ceiling, it has been broken somewhere. It has to do with the perception that there is a class barrier. That there is one rule for one set of the society and another rule for another set in society. I think that that has been shattered.”