Anand Ramlogan

He received his primary education at the Reform Presbyterian School and secondary schooling at ASJA Boys' College and Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive, in San Fernando.[19] On completing secondary school, he entered the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus, Barbados, to read for his Bachelor of Laws degree where he won several prizes for academic excellence including the Mark of Merit and best all round student.

Ramlogan was awarded several post-graduate scholarships and read for his LLM (in corporate and commercial law) at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London (now known as the Queen Mary University). Whilst at the Queen Mary & Westfield, he simultaneously pursued a post-graduate diploma in Law at the University of Westminster, courtesy the British Chevening Scholarship and the British Foreign Office Scholarship programme.[19]

He is an advocate who is known for his pioneering work in the field of human rights, constitutional and public law where he represents the interests of the average man against the government. He uses the instrument of the law to achieve social transformation and many of his cases have prompted significant changes in the law. He gives advice on a wide range of matters to public officials and lawyers in other Caribbean countries. He is admitted to practice in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), St Lucia and Anguilla.

His recent legal exploits include successful challenges to the appointment of Gary Griffith as Commissioner of Police,[20] constitutional challenges to the Proceeds of Crime Act[21] and the property tax legislation[22] which effectively prevented the government from implementing the property tax for over 5 years.

He has appeared in over 50 Privy Council appeals[23] and has also appeared before the Caribbean Court of Justice. Recent cases before the UK-based Judicial Committee of Her Majesty’s Privy Council (the highest court for Trinidad and Tobago) include:

• Challenging the decision to construct a highway through the Aripo Savannas Strict Nature Reserve, a unique ecosystem which was declared Environmentally Sensitive.[24][25]
• Freedom of Information application against national oil company to ascertain the basis for withdrawing a multi-billion dollar lawsuit by the new government.[26][27]
• The correct composition of the Judicial & Legal Service Commission which is responsible for making judicial appointments.[28][29]
• Challenging delay by the National Energy Corporation in providing information about the ethnicity of senior staff.[30][31]
• Breach of the constitutional rights of children.[32]
• Damages for breach of the right to equality of treatment.[33]
• Unfair treatment regarding promotion in the police service.[34]
• Denial of legal costs.[35]

He has done numerous cases in the High Court and Court of Appeal in breach of contract, defamation, discrimination, police brutality, medical negligence, personal injuries and commercial law.

Mr. Ramlogan has a distinguished record in public service and has served on many committees and statutory bodies such as the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago, the Law Reform Commission, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Commission of Enquiry into the Administration of Justice and the Vision 2020 plan for Constitutional Reform.[36]

Anand entered politics as a candidate for the Congress of the People (COP) under the leadership of Professor Winston Dookeran. He contested the seat for the constituency of Tabaquite in 2007 but subsequently re-joined the United National Congress after Kamla Persad-Bissessar was elected political leader.[37] He was subsequently appointed a government senator and Attorney General.[38][36]

Prior to his appointment as Attorney General, Ramlogan was a prominent lawyer who had become a household name for championing the legal cause of many poor and downtrodden citizens. He also won many historic cases against the People's National Movement government for persons such as former CEO of the San Fernando City Corporation Marlene Coudray, Devant Maharaj, Feroza Ramjohn, George Daniel and Damien Belfonte.[39]

Anand was also an active member of the media, hosting a radio talk show with radio 90.5 FM, was a columnist with the leading daily newspapers, the Sunday Guardian, the Express and the Newsday newspapers for many years.[40] His views are sought after by the media on a wide range of legal, social and political issues.  

On 26 May 2010, two days after the success of the People's Partnership in the 2010 General Election, Anand Ramlogan was appointed a Senator and Attorney General by Kamla Persad-Bissessar. Under Section 75 (2) of the constitution, the Attorney General must be appointed forthwith after the prime minister in order for the Cabinet to be properly established.[41]

In 2019, Ramlogan was charged with misconduct in public office.[42] He maintained that he was the victim of political conspiracy. The charges were eventually discontinued by the DPP after it was discovered that millions of dollars had been secretly paid by the new PNM Government to the prosecution’s lone witness as part of an undisclosed illicit indemnity agreement.[43][44]

Former independent senator and president of the law association Martin Daly SC said it was akin to bounty hunting.[45]