MICHAEL PARRIS FREED!

Michael Parris, who was arrested on the night of Thursday 16th April by the Gran Couva police and charged for what amounts to illegally sticking up posters opposing the Fifth Summit of the Americas was reprimanded and discharged at the Couva Court on Monday 20th April. Atorney Clyde Weatherhead represented Michael in the matter. It is instructive that fete promoters and election workers are hardly ever charged for this nuisance offence.

Michael was led, handcuffed, into the Couva Magistrate's Court on Friday 17th April, after spending the night in the police cell. The presiding magistrate did not show up for work and Michael was released on his own bail. Michael was charged according to the infamous Summary Offences Act (#31 of 1921) which was originally enacted in the aftermath of the 1919 General Strike when the working class in T&T transformed itself form being a class in itself into being a class for itself.

He was charged under Section 45 which applies to "idle and disorderly persons". These persons, according to Section 46 of the Act, if they repeat the offence or resist arrest may be graduated to being "rogues and vagabonds" and according to section 47, if they do the same, having already been deemed "rogues and vagabonds", they may be deemed "incorrigible rogues".

Michael is active in the anti-smelter struggle and other environmental struggles. He is also involved with Rights Action Group, Drumming Truth to Summit of the Americas and is associated with the Food and Fuel Forum.

Michael once again shot into the news spotlight, when as one of the organisers of the Drummit 2 Summit programme at the St. James Auditorium on Saturday 18th April, he stood firm in resisting the illegal police attempt to stop the programme.