Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner has 14 days to apologise to Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal regarding statements the he made on a political platform at La Paille Village, Caroni, last month. The former Fifa vice-president, who is accused of money laundering and racketeering, had alleged Moonilal sent an e-mail to Brazilian construction company OAS Construtora requesting $50 million for election campaigning.
Warner had also accused Moonilal of being unfit to hold office, adding that he had acted improperly in the performance of his duties and obligations as a Government minister. In a four-page pre-action protocol letter dated July 13 and issued by Moonilal's attorney Kelvin Ramkissoon, Warner has been given two weeks to respond or the matter would go to court. It added that Moonilal was also entitled to substantial compensation for injury caused to his reputation and feelings, including an award for aggravated and exemplary damages.
Commenting on the issue after a key distribution ceremony at Duncan Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, Moonilal said, “I am noticing everybody is suing him (Warner) and winning and I am afraid that all the money finish and my time don’t come so...there is a queue. I am sure there are people behind me too.”
On newspaper reports of a poll regarding the closeness of the outcome of the general election, Moonilal said the PP Government was not disenchanted by this. “Polls are a snapshot of any day. We take polls seriously. We never relax or become over confident of any poll. I took note of these polls and I am heartened,” he said.
“We have really now begun our campaign and we are slightly ahead. The PNM’s campaign began a long time ago, but we have a lot of work to do...candidates to be released so if we could be slightly ahead without releasing all 41 candidates it gives us hope that we are no the right track.”
On when the UNC was expected to complete its screening and its negotiations with the Congress of the People (COP) for seats, Moonilal said nomination day was August 17, adding, “On the morning of that day we will have 41 candidates.”
Protective services housing
In giving an update on Government's plans to establish a committee to deal specifically with housing for members of the protective services, Moonilal said the Housing Ministry has begun drafting letters to send to the various law enforcement agencies. “We need to get representatives to sit on a Cabinet-appointed committee to look at new models, new policy and new programmes only for members of the protective and law enforcement community.
“We have received a list from the prisons association and we will be working to so we how we can help, but we need a more longer term solution for housing for the protective services,” he said. He added that he intended to approach Cabinet this week to establish the committee.
Some 100 people received keys to homes in various communities yesterday, including police officers and soldiers.