Fire Housing Minister Marlene McDonald as soon as possible. Making this call at a media briefing yesterday, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar condemned Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for protecting McDonald and other Government members on integrity matters.
“He campaigned during elections on accountability and transparency and against corruption, yet he appears to be shielding his minister.” Persad-Bissessar said.
She warned that the Opposition would bring a motion of censure and revocation against McDonald and was also considering one against Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi over the state’s withdrawal of the Malcolm Jones case.
Speaking at the Opposition’s Port-of-Spain office, Persad-Bissessar noted allegations against McDonald’s conduct concerning the Calabar Foundation (and claims of a relationship with those in the foundation) and alleged granting of an HDC house to McDonald’s common-law spouse.
In the latest, she noted an apparent breach of Parliament rules in an alleged situation where McDonald’s common-law spouse was hired in her constituency office over several years.
Persad-Bissessar added: “These allegations raise concerns regarding the Integrity in Public Life law governing the conduct of persons in public life and breaches of that Act pertains to using public office for the benefit of yourself and your family. In all these allegations, substantial evidence has been revealed, (it) points to the minister acting in violation of the Act.” (See Page A6)
She said the Prime Minister appeared to be shielding corruption at the highest levels and his statement of having no confidence in the Integrity Commission, on the eve of the adjudicating of the matters, flies in the face of his campaign trail statements on integrity in public life.
“We call on him to revoke her appointment, fire her, given the evidence. He said he wanted evidence. It’s clearly there. He has no further cause to pause. Should he fail to fire her, we intend to file a motion of censure in Parliament, seeking her immediate removal,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar accused Rowley of a pattern, in also protecting ministers Camille Robinson-Regis (on her recent $93,000 cash deposit issue) and Nicole Olivierre (on allegedly using office to benefit an organisation in which a close relative was involved). She said evidence in the McDonald and Olivierre issues were clear and that Robinson-Regis had shifted her explanations on the First Citizens deposit issue.
Also questioning Government explanations on withdrawal of the Jones’ case, she said it was hard to believe Rowley would allow a case involving $6 billion worth of taxpayers’ assets to be withdrawn and not know of the decision. She questioned the AG’s passing of the Jones file to the Law Association (LATT), since she said one has to consider who key LATT officials were and their relationship with the AG.
She noted Company Register documents show LATT president Reginald Armour was a business partner with Al-Rawi in Abox Investments. She claimed while Armour wa now off the company, Al-Rawi remained a director as at December 2015 and his spouse “took over” Armour’s directorship.
She said Armour and Al-Rawi were Rowley’s personal attorneys in a defamation matter, Al-Rawi was ArcelorMittal’s attorney at one time and Armour now was, she added.
“The relationship and linkages are there,” she said.
Persad-Bissessar also noted that LATT’s vice-president, Gerry Brooks, a former senior ANSA McAL official, was now heading “11 or 12” boards of the Rowley Government where Al-Rawi is AG.
She expressed concern at one person serving on so many boards and being in charge of over $40 billion worth of taxpayers’ assets. She said such directorships could amount to as much as $100,000 a month plus travelling/utility allowances.
She said LATT officials will be “compromised and conflicted” and could give a decision/comment in favour of Al-Rawi on the Jones matter and called on them to recuse themselves from comment.
Noting Petrotrin chairman Andrew Jupiter was part of Petrotrin’s previous board headed by Jones when the controversial Gas To Liquids project was done, she questioned if Jupiter participated in any decision in withdrawing the case against Jones, since that would be serious conflict of interest.
AG ready to address issue
Contacted for comment last evening, Al-Rawi said: “I would welcome the opportunity to address this matter and I am fully prepared to exercise the broad privilege under Section 55 of the Constitution to reveal facts of the gross mismanagement and suppression of evidence on the UNC government’s part.
“I’m comfortable there’s no issue that could detain anyone in the manner threatened by Mrs Persad-Bissessar, having been the recipient of umpteen threats.”