Princes Town MP Barry Padarath has stated his intention to use the avenue available to him during this evening's sitting of the House of Representatives to call on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to remove Dr Rolph Balgobin as Chairman of the CLF Board, pending an investigation.
Padarath, in a statement, said the Rowley Cabinet made the appointment and in the public interest the appointment should be immediately revoked until the allegations of sexual harassment against Balgobin is ventilated. Balgobin has already resigned his directorships at the Massy Holdings and Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (ALJGSB) following the matter coming into the public domain. Padarath said the PM's failure to have him removed from CLF could demonstrate that he and his government have already formed judgement on the accuser and Balgobin.
Padarath recalled that in the past, Rowley would have called on former Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, to remove from public office, people who had less serious allegations made against them.
The opposition MP clarified that he was not ascribing innocence or guilt, which is a matter for the judicial process. Instead he said what he is proposing is a principled position to be adopted by the Prime Minister especially as the CLF position is appointed by government, and paid for by the taxpayers.
To this end, he said the PM's silence constitutes double standards and hypocrisy. Padarath said Rowley's failure to act on this matter will erode the public confidence in his ability to act on public officials who have serious questions hanging over their heads.
On January 3, 2017 a senior female executive of Angostura filed a police report at the Morvant Police station, alleging sexual harassment against Balgobin. Public reports have indicated this was not the first time such an allegation was made against the former Senator. That same month, the employee filed a whistle blower complaint through her attorney to the audit committee of Angostura and the board of its parent company, CLF.