iii. that such recommendations to the HDC did not involve communication with
the then Minister of Housing.
iii. that recommendations in relation to HDC housing were also made in June
2015, also during the tenure of the previous government, in respect of persons
considered to be needy and deserving.
iv. that the material now available, even if all the allegations are accepted for
the purpose of this analysis, does not demonstrate follow ups, or lobbying of
Government officials, post September 7th 2015.
v. that as at August 2015, (the date of the alleged HDC internal email), (before
the election), applications of the 2015 recommendees were already being
processed, with some awaiting allocation of housing and others having
interviews scheduled in December 2015. Any allegation of perception of a snub
or disrespect could not therefore survive scrutiny.
vi. that there is therefore no reason, apart from the purported WhatsApp
messages, to consider that the 2015 recommendations would have had a
greater chance of success under the present government than under the
previous government.
vii. that the allegation concerning WhatsApp communications with the PM, a
party interested in the outcome of the election petitions, when subjected to
even minimal scrutiny, is too tenuous to excite concern by the fair-minded and
informed observer.
Alleged Communications with HDC – nexus/whether logical connection
69.
As a matter of common sense, logic, and law, there needs to be a logical
connection between the matters which it is being alleged may give rise to lack
of impartiality or the perception thereof, and the decision that it is contended
may be affected. See for example John Henry Smith, Barbara Gomes, Ishwar
Galbaransingh, Amrith Maharaj, Northern Construction Limited v His
Worship the Late Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicholls, The Director of
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