Two Government ministers yesterday spoke highly of sacked housing minister Marlene Mc Donald, who is set to make a return when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley reshuffles his Cabinet next month. The ministers heaped praises on Mc Donald, stating she was a valued member of the PNM and as an MP.
Their comments came following yesterday’s front page article in the T&T Guardian which reported that Mc Donald was tipped to return to Cabinet. Yesterday, Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis admitted she read the article, stating it was merely speculation. The article stated that Mc Donald was likely to return to the Cabinet as Minister of Works.
However, Robinson-Regis said she was not the one who removed Mc Donald from Cabinet.
“So if she comes back it is certainly within the purview of the Prime Minister and Miss Mc Donald continues to be a valued member of the People’s National Movement.
“She continues to be a deputy political leader and she continues to be a valued member of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago,” she added.
In March, Mc Donald, the MP for Port-of-Spain South, was fired as housing minister by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. She was replaced by Randall Mitchell. Asked if ministers performed well in the last year and if she was in agreement with the reshuffle by the PM, Robinson-Regis said:
“With regard to being in agreement or not in agreement, I did not help the Prime Minister choose the Cabinet. It is totally within the Prime Minister’s purview if he would like to reshuffle his Cabinet.
“I think it is in the purview of any Prime Minister or president to make adjustments to their Cabinet. Whether I agree or disagree with it really does not matter. He (Rowley) is the one who determined who got the portfolio in the first place.”
Told about Mc Donald’s likely return, Mitchell said he was not one to speculate but stated that Mc Donald was “part of the team. She has been faced with some challenges and we pray that she overcomes those challenges and she becomes a more frontline member.”
Allegations
Mc Donald’s ministerial appointment was revoked following three sets of allegations against her. The last claim involved alleged breach of parliamentary rules based on allegations that her common-law spouse, Michael Carew, was hired among 13 members of her constituency office over the last term.
It was further alleged that Carew’s brother, Lennox, also worked at Mc Donald’s Port-of-Spain South office at one period during the last term and both men commanded high salaries of over $10,000. The matter has been sent by the Fixin’ T&T group to the police and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for investigation.