Fixin’ T&T leader and activist Kirk Waithe is describing Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s position on allegations against Housing Minister Marlene Mc Donald as disrespectful and contemptuous to the people of T&T. On Tuesday, Waithe called for the removal of Mc Donald amid allegations of abuse of public office.
Mc Donald has been referred to the police and the Integrity Commission over questions of whether she used her position in 2008 as a minister to influence the allocation of a Housing Development Corporation (HDC) unit to her romantic partner.
Mc Donald has since denied specific claims that she requested a file for her partner Michael Carew and she had a beneficial interest in a Fidelis Heights home allocated to Carew. Rowley has said he would not remove Mc Donald, adding she had given an explanation to the population during a press conference at Parliament on Monday.
“It’s an unfortunate response,” Waithe said of Rowley’s response. He said that was particularly as the person in the allegations (Mc Donald) was the minister “overseeing the scene of the investigation.”
“What Rowley has done is tell the country we are ignoring the allegations, investigations and anything to do with this,” Waithe added. He said considering the five-year period before, the country deserved better and must insist on better.
“He has shown no interest in protecting the integrity of public office to the citizens of T&T, demonstrating blatant disregard for the allegations and the calls for an investigation,” he added.
Waithe said Rowley had essentially set himself up as judge, jury and in this case, pardoner.
“There is yet an opportunity for us to begin to demonstrate leadership committed to transforming governance in this country and yet another politician is failing to grab that opportunity,” he said.
Yesterday, chairman of Transparency International T&T, Deryck Murray, said the group had no set position as he was unsure of the extent of the information or the accuracy that appeared in the media. He said his group was seeking a meeting with Rowley but added that the allegations regarding Mc Donald was not a main issue to be discussed.
“We would be looking at the procedures being put into place, a general meeting to discuss where we as a country and the new government,” he said.
He said every issue which pertained to allegations of corruption was important but there was a need for facts and information.
“We are more interested in the governance procedures and what is being put in place to guard against corruption,” he added.
Sturge responds
In a release yesterday Opposition Senator Wayne Sturge said he was not in any way surprised by Rowley’s decision to retain Mc Donald as a member of his Cabinet.
“The public can now see for itself the true essence of the man” who claimed to be aware of bid-rigging and other forms of corruption at Udecott since 2003, corruption which "stank to the high heavens and which made what happened at Piarco look like child's play,” but who nonetheless was content to keep it hidden from public view until he was fired,” Sturge said.
He said for Rowley to refer to the issues regarding Mc Donald as a bare allegation, in the face of documentary evidence, showed the level of contempt he had for the populace.
“There are so many unanswered questions that he has skilfully chosen to avoid by the use of deflection and distraction,” he said.