Address by Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar at UNC Monday Night Forum Naparima College
“T&T is a nation on auto-pilot, we have a Gov’t that has formed a bad habit of bluntly ignoring the real issues; it is destroying the middle class, punishing the poor and vulnerable and taxes the nation in a time of job loss, company closure, higher inflation and economic recession”
Speaking Notes of
The Hon Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP
Political Leader of the United National Congress (UNC) and
Leader of the Opposition of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
UNC’s Monday Night Forum (MNF)
Naparima Boys College, San Fernando
June 6, 2016
- Presbyterian contribution to education in T&T especially for the rural poor
- RAMADAN GREETINGS
As we continue this conversation, I send greetings to our Muslim brothers and sisters who are preparing for the start of the Holy month of Ramadan.
The start of the Holy month of Ramadan puts the Muslim community at the forefront of reminding us of the principle of leadership by example and the fundamental values which have made us a great people.
We now live in a time of challenge and uncertainty, testing our very resilience and our resolve as people, families and a united population.
Their example will come from the depth of sacrifice, the strength of faith, and the power of community our Muslim brothers and sisters demonstrate to us in the coming 30 days.
And as a show of good faith, given how harsh the cut and thrust of politics can be, I have made a commitment.
While our Muslim brothers and sisters undertake this enormous sacrifice, the United National Congress and Parliamentary Opposition will also use this period for self-introspection.
We will think deeply on how we can become better, more evocative and more effective as the people’s representatives.
And I thank the Muslim community for warmly taking our hands as we make this commitment and learn from their sacrifice.
Ramadan Mubarack to all.
DAUNTING NATIONAL ISSUES
As we make this commitment, I know we face daunting national issues as a people.
Trinidad and Tobago is a nation on auto-pilot; we have a Government in place that has formed a bad habit of bluntly ignoring the real issues that affect your daily lives.
We have a Government that has routinely misled the nation on fundamental issues of the public accounts and budgets.
We have a Government led by a man who once told the nation that his fundamental belief is that ‘if an Administration cannot solve crime, then it is part of the problem.’
But now that he is in the driver’s seat, Dr. Rowley has found it easy, inconsequential even, to change what he once proclaimed as his fundamental belief.
When principles change based on having power, the man, the people, the institution CANNOT be trusted to manage the affairs of the nation.
Because principles that ‘change with the seasons’ mean that the Rowley government’s stranglehold on power is a matter of self-service; protection for their party’s corrupt elite, and good times for all who can bankroll their fantasy of absolute power.
MORE AL-RAWI GAFFEs
We also have an administration with an Attorney General who has, by far, become the most incompetent office-holder who lacks even a fundamental appreciation of the constitution and the laws of the land.
Tonight I want to talk to you about several things but first I want to focus on the man who is supposed to be the MP for this constituency – Faris Al Rawi.
I say “supposed to be” because Faris is an absentee MP. People in this constituency don’t see him and can’t talk with him. So he is just squatting in San Fernando West. And that is why when the next election bell ring we would send him back to Port of Spain.
And it’s coming soon!
This month is the court hearing of our Election Petitions and San Fernando West is one of five constituencies in question. SO WHEN WE WIN, WE will send Faris home. And we will win in the four other constituencies too.
When we win Keith Rowley would have to either call by-elections or call a general election. Either way we are ready. And we will be back in government.
So be prepared. Get ready. Wash your jerseys and wait. When that bell rings you know what you have to do.
And when we are back in government San Fernando West will come alive again.
We will get that Waterfront Development started and completed.
San Fernando would get the facilities is deserves. Faris is just a flash in the pan.
He doesn’t care; he is a non-performing MP.
He is also unfit to be Attorney General.
Soon, after the cabinet reshuffle , Faris will be on the breadline joining the about 20,000 people thrown out of work under the Rowley government.
But don’t worry Faris, you could go back to your old employers and beg for ajob and, Arcelor Mittal might hire you
Let me tell you why. It’s not just that he is incompetent. He doesn’t understand the constitution, which he has sworn to uphold.
Al Rawi said during the debate on amendments to the SSA bill people in Trinidad and Tobago don’t have the right to privacy. Your right to privacy is written as clear as daylight in the constitution but Al Rawi was telling you the opposite. Faris Al Rawi said you don’t have that right.
We have seen eight months of an Attorney General’s repeated failure; utterly unthinkable misunderstanding of basic law; talking out of turn.
But to now have a reputation of the most mis-stepped AG, Al-Rawi fired up the spectacle of his incompetence recently on the SSA Amendment Bill 2016.
At our weekly Post-Shadow Cabinet press-conference recently, I called on Al-Rawi to explain what may amount to a very clear breach of the law, an illegal act for which he may face prosecution, fine and imprisonment.
Tonight, for the many who have not yet heard it, I bring it to your attention because even as we face economic challenges, we also face clear and present threats to our fundamental freedoms.
I asked Al-Rawi to explain how he came into possession of information that the SSA has effectively obtained in intercepting information in relation to the murder of Attorney-at-Law, Senior Counsel, Dana Seetahal.
As has become his habit, he has hidden behind some kind of illusion and distraction and has failed to account to the nation for what may amount to an outright breach of very sensitive legislation.
By now we would all know of the widespread rejection of the SSA Amendment Bill 2016.
Few Bills in history have created such deep fears because of the PNM’s previous breaches of fundamental rights.
And the general belief is that this SSA Bill could be abused for manipulation of the constitution and laws allowing a free hand to politicians and their appointees to spy and harass political and other opponents, and ultimately prevent any other political party from breaking the Rowley government’s fatal strangle hold of power.
Here is what happened.
In closing the debate in the Upper House on 10th May 2016 these were the words of the Attorney General:
“The Hon. Senator mentioned something a lil while ago, and I thought twice about saying what I am about to say, but I am going to say it anyway.
What has the SSA done effectively or what has interception done in relation to the Dana Seetahal case?
Well I can tell you as a matter of fact that it is the SSA’s work that has resulted in people standing before the courts today for that offence, and that is a fact”.
Simple question – The law is clear that the Attorney General is not one of the persons who can ever have information retrieved by the SSA, so the question is how was it that he was able to identify SSA information “as a fact” in the Senate?
The Attorney General was challenged to disclose to the public how he came into possession of that information; the work of the SSA that has resulted in persons standing before the Courts in relation to the Dana Seetahal Murder.
But the Rowley government has a remarkable ability to hear distress, smile and respond as if they completely missed the point. The AG has not yet explained how he came to have knowledge of such information.
And this is how they have managed every national issue.
After yet another failure to explain how he came into possession of SSA information, when the Bill was assented to by the President, Al-Rawi’s first gleeful words blurted out to the closest camera with a flash was “he {the President} thought it must be good law“.
Such an interpretation has been shown to be not credible by the statements of Former Chief Justice De La Bastide and SC Martin Daly and others who have pointed out that the President must assent unless the government does not wish for him to assent.
ROWLEY DOESN’T KNOW BETTER
But when you have a Prime Minister who stands in Parliament in response to issues about crime and the terror being experienced across the nation by his Government’s failure to quell the crisis. says, “what am I to do…I cyah help you”, you realise that he doesn’t know better.
This may be because Dr. Rowley told the nation that the Government has nothing to do with crime BEFORE it is committed; it only has a role AFTER.
So in addition to him saying “I cyah help you”, he has also denied that the State has a role in crime detection, and prevention.
HDC/JW ISSUE
Some of you might be aware of an online publication called the ‘Whistleblower’. – media reports re HDC Chairman and of which MP Moonilal spoke about tonight.
I have instructed MP Moonilal to make complaint to the Integrity Commission in terms of the following letter:
Re: Complaint against
Mr. Newman George, Chairman, Housing Development Corporation
for apparent breaches of Sections 24(1)(a)(b); (2)(a)(c)(d) and 26.
I write in my capacity as a Member of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago (Oropuche East) and a citizen of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Powers of Investigation.
Section 32 of the Integrity of Commission Act (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) provides any member of the public with the right to make a complaint against a person in public life in the following terms:-
(1) A member of the public who wishes to allege or make a complaint that a person in public life or any person exercising a public function—
(a) is in contravention of this Act;
(b) in relation to the Register of Interests, has a conflict of interest; or
(c) is committing or has committed an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, may do so in writing to the Commission.
I hereby exercise the power given to me by Section 32 of the Act to make a complaint for the investigation of the Commission.
Background facts.
The complaint concerns recent actions of Mr. Newman George, Chairman of the Housing Development Corporation (“HDC”) and a person in public life which may constitute breaches of the Integrity in Public Life Act (“the Act”) as well as criminal conduct in relation to his office.
Attached for your attention is an email dated April 5, 2016 from what appears to be the email address of Mr. Newton George to Mr. Brent Lyons, the Managing Director of the HDC.
In that email:
- Mr. George forwards to Mr. Lyons an email dated April 4, 2016 from the email address dsurvivor2011@aol.com which I recognize to be the email address of Mr. Jack Warner, the former political leader of the Independent Liberal Party and owner of Sunshine Newspaper;
- Mr. George directs Mr. Lyons to “put…in train” a request, as contained in Mr. Warner’s email, for government housing to be allocated to certain persons and
- Mr. George gives as the reason so using his authority as Chairman of HDC to assist Mr. Warner, the fact that “we may need him in the future for assistance.”
I am of the view that having regard to the contents of the email, Mr. George appears to have breached the provisions of the Integrity in Public Life Act, namely Sections 24(1)(a)(b); (2)(a)(c)(d) and 26.
The Provisions of the Integrity in Public Life Act:
The Integrity in Public life Act provides by its preamble that it was enacted to provide for the establishment of the Integrity Commission; to make new provisions for the prevention of corruption of persons in public life by providing for public disclosure; to regulate the conduct of persons exercising public functions; to preserve and promote the integrity of public officials and institutions, and for matters incidental thereto.
Part IV of the Act provides a Code of Conduct to regulate the conduct of persons in public life. By section 23 of the Act it provides that the Code as set out in the Act,
“applies to a person in public life and to all persons exercising public functions.
As set out herein at the time of the actions herein Mr. Newman George was a person in public life as defined by the provisions of the Act.
Section 24 of the Act provides,
“A person to whom this Part applies shall ensure that he performs his functions and administers the public resources for which he is responsible in an effective and efficient manner and shall—
(a) be fair and impartial in exercising his public duty;
(b) afford no undue preferential treatment to any group or individual;
(c) arrange his private interests whether pecuniary or otherwise in such a manner as to maintain public confidence and trust in his integrity.
(2) A person to whom this Part applies shall not—
(a) use his office for the improper advancement of his own or his family’s personal or financial interests or the interest of any person;
(b) engage in any transaction, acquire any position or have any commercial or other interest that is incompatible with his office, function and duty or the discharge thereof;
(c) use public property or services for activities not related to his official work; or
(d) directly or indirectly use his office for private gain.
Section 26 of the Act provides,
“A person to whom this Part applies shall not use his office to seek to influence a decision made by another person or public body to further his own private interests”.
Mr. George’s conduct, in exercising the power of his office to unfairly benefit a particular group of persons, identified by Mr. Warner in his email, in exchange for what appears to be benefits from Mr. Warner, appears to be in contravention the express provisions of the Integrity in Public Life Act and the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Further, I wish to also draw to your attention the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 11.11, particularly section 3 which provides as follows:-
- (1) Every person who, by himself or by or in conjunction with any other person, corruptly solicits or receives, or agrees to receive, for himself or for any other person, any gift, loan, fee, reward, or advantage whatsoever, as an inducement to, or reward for, or otherwise on account of, an agent doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of any matter or transaction whatsoever, actual or proposed, in which the State or a public body is concerned, is guilty of an offence.
(2) Every person who, by himself or by or in conjunction with any other person, corruptly gives, promises or offers any gift, loan, fee, reward, or advantage whatsoever, to any person, whether for the benefit of that person or of another person, as an inducement to, or reward for, or otherwise on account of, an agent doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of any matter or transaction whatsoever, actual or proposed, in which the State or a public body is concerned, is guilty of an offence.
It appears from the conduct of Mr. George that there may have been contravention of these sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act which are both serious and grave.
Mr. George’s conduct also appears to be in breach of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s clear policy for the allocation for houses as contained in Cabinet Minute dated September 25, 2008 (“copy enclosed”) wherein the Minister with responsibility for housing is the only functionary vested with powers to allocate houses and only under special circumstances.
Conclusion:
I trust that the Commission will share my view that the matters that are raised by this complaint are most serious and troubling especially in light of the fact that Mr. Geroge presently holds the portfolio of Chairman of the Housing Development Corporation under whose portfolio falls the Governments housing programme for the country.
If the allegations herein are found to be proven, as prima facie the evidence seems to suggest, it would not be right for such a person to continue to hold any office where there exists the opportunity to commit the same wrongs that are the subject of the complaint herein. In this particular case, in my respectful opinion, the evidence crosses the evidential threshold to warrant a criminal investigation and I trust that those in whom that power resides do forthwith exercise those powers and commence immediately a criminal investigation into these transactions to determine whether any criminal offences have been committed. To this end I hereby inform you that I am today writing to the Commissioner of Police to bring to his attention the actions of Mr. George and to request that a criminal investigation be commenced forthwith into his actions.
I trust that those in whom the power resides will commence an investigation and act with the same alacrity that they have shown when matters of a much less serious nature were brought to their attention in the past. The public interest warrants an immediate investigation into these matters.
Yours truly,
…………………………………
Yet further, I have instructed MP Moonilal to write the Commissioner of Police calling for a criminal investigation in terms of the following letter:
The Commissioner of Police,
Police Administration Building,
Sackville Street,
Port of Spain.
Dear Mr. Commissioner,
Re: Complaint of Misbehaviour in Public Office against
Mr. Newman George, Chairman, Housing Development Corporation
I write in my capacity as a Member of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago (Oropuche East) to bring to your attention and report to you recent actions of Mr. Newman George, Chairman of the Housing Development Corporation (“HDC”) which may constitute criminal conduct as being in contravention of the provisions of the Integrity in Public Life Act, The Prevention of Corruption Act as well as the common law offence of Misbehavior/Misconduct in Public Office.
Attached for your attention is email dated April 5, 2016 from what appears to be the email address of Mr. Newton George to Mr. Brent Lyons, the Managing Director of the HDC.
In that email:
- Mr. George forwards to Mr. Lyons an email dated April 4, 2016 from the email address dsurvivor2011@aol.com which I recognize to be the email address of Mr. Jack Warner, the former political leader of the Independent Liberal Party and owner of Sunshine Newspaper;
- Mr. George directs Mr. Lyons to “put…in train” a request, as contained in Mr. Warner’s email, for government housing to be allocated to certain persons and
- Mr. George gives as the reason so using his authority as Chairman of HDC to assist Mr. Warner, the fact that “we may need him in the future for assistance.”
Statutory Provisions.
I set out hereunder the relevant statutory provisions, which I suggest are triggered by the conduct of Mr. George and requires immediate investigation.
Integrity in Public Life Act:
Part IV of the Act provides a Code of Conduct to regulate the conduct of persons in public life. By section 23 of the Act it provides that the Code as set out in the Act,
“applies to a person in public life and to all persons exercising public functions.
As set out herein at the time of the actions Mr. Newman George was a person in public life as defined by the provisions of the Act.
Section 24 of the Act provides,
“A person to whom this Part applies shall ensure that he performs his functions and administers the public resources for which he is responsible in an effective and efficient manner and shall—
(a) be fair and impartial in exercising his public duty;
(b) afford no undue preferential treatment to any group or individual;
(c) arrange his private interests whether pecuniary or otherwise in such a manner as to maintain public confidence and trust in his integrity.
(2) A person to whom this Part applies shall not—
(a) use his office for the improper advancement of his own or his family’s personal or financial interests or the interest of any person;
(b) engage in any transaction, acquire any position or have any commercial or other interest that is incompatible with his office, function and duty or the discharge thereof;
(c) use public property or services for activities not related to his official work; or
(d) directly or indirectly use his office for private gain.
Section 26 of the Act provides,
“A person to whom this Part applies shall not use his office to seek to influence a decision made by another person or public body to further his own private interests”.
I have also brought the actions of Mr. George to the attention of the Chairman of the Integrity of Commission requesting that the Commission also commence immediately an investigation into the actions of Mr. George within the powers and jurisdiction that are vested in the Commission.
Prevention of Corruption Act:
Section 3 which provides as follows:-
- (1) Every person who, by himself or by or in conjunction with any other person, corruptly solicits or receives, or agrees to receive, for himself or for any other person, any gift, loan, fee, reward, or advantage whatsoever, as an inducement to, or reward for, or otherwise on account of, an agent doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of any matter or transaction whatsoever, actual or proposed, in which the State or a public body is concerned, is guilty of an offence.
(2) Every person who, by himself or by or in conjunction with any other person, corruptly gives, promises or offers any gift, loan, fee, reward, or advantage whatsoever, to any person, whether for the benefit of that person or of another person, as an inducement to, or reward for, or otherwise on account of, an agent doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of any matter or transaction whatsoever, actual or proposed, in which the State or a public body is concerned, is guilty of an offence.
I hereby request that you commence immediately a criminal investigation into the actions of Mr. George in order to determine whether the above sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act have been contravened and if they have for the necessary action to the taken.
COMMON LAW OFFENCE of Misconduct/Misbehavior in Public Office:
I am also of the view that having regard to the contents of the exchange of emails and the actions of the respective writers, the question arises as to whether the offence of Misconduct/Misbehavior in Public Office is made out in that Mr. George, being the holder of public office and being a public official, may have willfully and intentionally misconducted himself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in his office without reasonable excuse or justification.
It is clear that being the Chairman of the Housing Development Corporation Mr. George must have been aware of his duty to act honestly and the question is whether he was subjectively reckless as to this duty. The fact that the emails suggest that Mr. George was using his office to advocate the securing of houses for persons identified by Mr. Warner in order to ensure Mr. Warner’s “future assistance” warrants an immediate criminal investigation to determine whether the offence of misbehavior/misconduct has been committed and for immediate appropriate action to be taken in the event that the allegations are found to be proven.
Mr. George’s conduct also appears to be in breach of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s clear policy for the allocation for houses as contained in Cabinet Minute dated September 25, 2008 wherein the Minister with responsibility for housing is the only functionary vested with powers to allocate houses and only under special circumstances.
The actions of Mr. George as appears from the email exchange identified herein are serious and worrying. Having regard to the nature of the allegations it is of even greater concern that Mr. George remains Chairman of the Housing Development Corporation, the entity vested with responsibility for the country’s housing stock.
I trust that you will share the view that the seriousness of the allegations and the surrounding circumstances requires that this matter be the subject of an immediate criminal investigation. The public interest will not be served otherwise.
Yours truly,
CORRECTING STUART YOUNG’S ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PT FORTIN HIGHWAY –
Before I do that let us acknowledge the great work done by the PP with respect to that highway, the Children’s Hospital (which the government told is would be ready by the end of June) the UWI Debe campus and of course the Aquatic Centre which was part of our vision plan for sports tourism.
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS ON COST OF SOLOMON HOCHOY HIGHWAY EXTENSION TO POINT FORTIN.
- On April 1, 2016, Minister Stuart Young told the House of Representatives in a statement: “Over $5 billion has been spent, with only 49 per cent of the construction completed.”
- On Wednesday June 1, 2016, Stephen Gardiner, Deputy Chairman of National Infrastructure Company (NIDCO), told the Public Accounts (Enterprises) Committee of Parliament that a total of $3.7 billion has been spent and 61 per cent of the project completed.
The young man, the number two lawyer in the Office in the AG is now the junior Minister of everything, with his boss, the PM as the Minister of everything – PM establishing committee after committee which he chairs eg Red House Committee, now Tobago Tourism Committee, ( move over Shamfa of ‘we in charge’ fame) Energy Committee etc
STUART YOUNG
Young is acting AG
Two ministers of national insecurity by passed to make way for Young to act
He has even elbowed Maxie Cuffie off the podium for post cab briefings and government communications
Who is next in line to be replaced by this young man.
All this begs the question to question as to the competence of the other ministers.
SLIDING ECONOMY/RAIDING THE HSF
Six months ago, as the year 2015 closed PM Rowley addressed the nation and among other things, indicated the government’s intention to start drawing down from tapping national savings to support Government spending.
He said the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund was set up for periods of severe challenge and that the HSF would be split into two separate funds.
After about six months silence, secrecy and rampant distortions on the facts of the economy yesterday (June 5) the Sunday Express revealed that the Rowley government has already taken $2.5 Billion from the HSF.
How did PM Rowley respond? In his usual cavalier manner, he said “It is nothing out of the ordinary, there is nothing to be upset about. It is something we had planned for…”
The question is whether a link can be made between the drawdown on the HSF and the fact that the price of oil has risen to US$50 per barrel and the Minister of Finance reduced the budgeted price of oil downwards from US$45 to US$35.
What then is the rationale for dipping into the HSF ? I
s the situation worse than they are telling us ?
The Governor of the Central Bank bears some responsibility here.
He should be called upon to speak.
For all that people may say about Jwala Rambarran, his investment strategies for the HSF were admired by other countries and he was able to make such prudent investments that the value of the fund rose significantly during his watch.
The key issue to note is that the PP administration NEVER touched the fund, but instead their strategies caused the fund to grow significantly in a short space of time.
Upon returning to office, the public can be assured that whatever the PNM has secretly taken out of the fund will be put back in by a future PP administration through prudent investment strategies and deposits.
They have failed to safely navigate the economy out of challenges; the Finance Minister has demonstrated the most profound incompetence, and arrogance in his failure to bring order and stability, and now they quietly withdraw $2.5 Billion from the HSF and say ‘it’s no big thing’?
In the budget they said they would they would withdraw US$1 billion from the Fund this year and US$0.5 billion next year (about TT$10-11b) .
And now, very quietly they have started withdrawing money from the fund.
Imbert needs to come clean on how the government intends to use this MONEY.
They need to advise on a drawdown schedule to tell the people when the drawdowns would take place and how much is expected to be drawn on each occasion and for what purpose will each drawdown be used.
THIS CANNOT BE A SECRET. YOU ARE SPENDING THE PEOPLE’S SAVINGS. IT’S NOT YOUR PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNT! SO YOU HAVE NOT ONLY TELL US WHEN AND HOW MUCH YOU ARE WITHDRAWING YOU HAVE TO TELL US WHAT YOU ARE DOING WITH THE MONEY.
The HSF is no BRAN TUB
When this fund was established the arrangement was that a government would touch the Fund only after the Government has taken all feasible steps at economic adjustment and is still unable to meet its commitments.
The Fund has a limited value and that is why Imbert must outline the strategies for long-term survival.
The Government needs to say what adjustments or initiatives for economic diversification and growth they intend to put in place to ensure that by 2018 they no longer need to draw on the Fund.
Unless they do so, we fear that they would continue to withdraw until it’s all finished and then we have a real problem.
So I am asking GOVERNMENT tonight to say what they are doing with the money and how he can justify withdrawing two and a half billion dollars from the fund without transparency. This cannot be a secret; the people have a right to know.
The most important use of the fund is to provide a heritage for future generations, of citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, from savings and investment income derived from the excess petroleum revenues.
The Panday UNC government established the fund in 2000 as the INTERIM REVENUE STABILSATION FUND … AND IN 2007 THE MANNING GOVERNMENT TRANSFERRED THE MONEY FROM THAT FUND TO CREATE THE HERITAGE AND STABILSATION FUND.
The fund was created because of the vision of a UNC government.
Thanks to that and because of our responsible use of your money we have that saving for the future. When we left government the savings had reached five and a half billion dollars US dollars.
NO GOVERNMENT HAS EVER TOUCHED THAT FUND… but now it is at risk of being depleted by this Rowley government that has no vision, no plan and no sense of responsibility to the taxpayer.
Tonight I am demanding from the minister of finance full transparency and accountability on the use of money from that fund.
The fund has a specific purpose…and it is not to be used to cut cheques for PNM friends.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
My sisters and brothers, do you remember how quickly UDeCOTT paid Kerwyn Garcia $431,000? They paid that in one day and people who are owed money have been begging to get their money and getting none.
But I am not surprised. In order to get anything from this government you have to have connections like Garcia. His father is a minister, his wife is the president of the Senate and his uncle is the boss at UDeCOTT.
SOCA ON THE SEAS ABOUT HALF MILLION $
CRIME
Economic failure is one thing; every single family in this country has felt the burden of Rowley’s governance and continues to feel the impact of his government’s incompetence.
But I want all citizens to appreciate a deeper concern, in the connection between crime and the economy.
Now don’t get me wrong, a country can have crime as an issue and business and consumer alike can still have confidence in the economy.
What has a negative effect on economic activity is when people develop deep and instinctive fear of crime and have no confidence in the authorities to address it.
You feel that the Rowley government is hapless about the crime situation and is either unable or unwilling to curb the murder rate in the country – now 205 for the year and counting.
There 10-point plan that they put forward in Opposition was smoke and mirrors. And there is nothing going on with regard to crime fighting that gives us the assurance and sense of security that they have a strategic approach to dealing with murders especially and crime in general.
We have given them ideas; we have proposals in our 2015 Manifesto but as usual they have no ideas of their own but they are too arrogant to accept good ideas from anybody else.
The Government’s inability to deal with the escalation of murders and the spread of criminal activity outside the hotspots, is damaging investment, business and consumer confidence as well as instilling widespread fear in our country.
Who will put out their money in this state of deep uncertainty? Who will risk going to the malls? Who will venture into a market or business district if adequate security is not put in place to make them comfortable?
And if this were not bad enough the Government has done everything possible to frighten investors and to obliterate business and consumer confidence.
From September 2015 they have been screaming that ‘the Treasury is empty’ despite inheriting from us strong foreign reserves accumulation and an enhanced Heritage and Stabilization Fund.
And up to now, except for a few projects that the Prime Minister and other Ministers have announced, we are yet to see any framework, we are yet to see any strategy for economic recovery, they are yet to reveal any sequencing of projects and we are yet to see any action on the economic front.
So far the Government has brought two budgets to Parliament, one in September the highest ever at $63 Billion, and a much touted review of that budget that failed on every economic front.
And in September they will bring a third.
And nothing is happening.
The economy has just stalled and is sinking into a precipitous decline, and the Rowley government has made not a single positive difference.
They got Parliamentary approval to increase borrowing by $50 billion.
They are busy borrowing now from Banks in Europe, from the local banking sector, from the multilateral sector.
They have signaled their intention to sell off State assets.
And now they have begun to raid the Heritage and Stabilization Fund as if it were a bran tub.
We have no problem with borrowing but, the country needs to know in specific terms what the borrowing is for and, if the borrowing is for projects, what is the procurement process?
The country needs to know how the government is going to pay it back given the current recession and the projections by the Central Bank for the remainder of 2016.
And given those projections we do not share the optimism of the Governor of the Central bank for a return to growth in 2017.
Where is the growth to come from–Energy.? Manufacturing? Services? New investment? Government projects?
Where? Where is the confidence and where are the plans and projects to make that happen?
It is said that the Energy companies in TT are skeptical of Government’s understanding of requirements in the Energy sector and, quite frankly that they are worried that the Rowley Government might do something rash and dismantle all prospects for the future.
The private sector may make acquisitions or buy State assets but they do not have the confidence to invest new money.
And we in the Opposition are against any fire sales of state assets or wheeling and dealing with regard to state assets and that includes CLICO. Yet town is rife that steps are afoot to engage in deal making for sale of state assets.
For instance, we there should be no deal over Angostura, which by the way is a publicly traded company.
There should be no preferred buyer for Tru Valu with all arrangements pre-determined.
There should be no deal to hand over CLICO to some specially selected insurance company for a song.
And there should be no back room deal making process, which jeopardizes the interests of legitimate shareholders and stakeholders, to predetermine the approach to Republic Bank shares which is also a publicly traded company.
There should be no deal making with respect to disposal of the shares of TSTT.
All of these matters musts be conducted with transparency and accountability.
The Government needs to be transparent with the process for determining which assets were and/or are to be liquidated and say why those specific assets were/or to be liquidated.
We will be watching and monitoring and there must be full transparency with everything having to do with the sale of State owned assets.
The Rowley Government must indicate whether it sees the CLICO intervention by the State on behalf of stakeholders and in the interest of protecting the Financial sector as a bail out that needs to be repaid, or whether it views CLICO as a State takeover of private assets to cover a non-recoverable bail out loan.
This is an important fundamental principle which the country needs to understand before Imbert and Rowley proceed with plans for a fire sale in CLICO and in the State sector generally.
Having made this position extremely clear, we call on the Government to come with legislation, which they promised early on to separate the Heritage part of the fund from the Stablization fund.
We need to have a national debate about this matter which is really about the people’s patrimony and savings by this generation not only for a rainy day but for the next generation.
The PM has been too flippant about this matter as he is about most serious matters and citizens need to have a say in how their patrimony is spent and in what they are getting from it.
And we need to put a clear and unequivocal limit on how much can be used for stabilization; we need to know what forms of investment HSF withdrawals will be used for, or whether they are using it to bankroll their Local Government election campaign.
They have already taken out TT$2.5 billion. They have announced their intention to take out about over the next two fiscal years TT$10 or $11 billion depending on the exchange rate.
No talk of limits, or how it will be used, but they are spending as if they know how to make it!
The Government must take steps to give the population the assurance of a transparent procurement process as it dips into savings, borrows for projects, destroys the middle class, punishes the poor and the vulnerable, and taxes the nation in a time of job loss, company closure, higher inflation and economic recession.
CONCLUSION
So my friends these are some of the issues affecting your daily lives.
You’d not have thought so considering that you’re only hearing about investigations, audits and witch-hunts on matters for which all information is available and in the public domain.
But despite their disingenuous pretense in raising new and inconsequential issues, while your daily lives deteriorate, have no fear, Kamla is here.
We will rise again.
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you!