Padarath: Whistleblower confirms Darryl Smith involvement in “sex suit”, Rowley Must Act, Darryl must go

Princes Town MP, Barry Padarath says that he has taken note of Former Communications Manager at the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs. Shabaka Kambon’s confirmation that the allegations of wrongful dismissal settled with tax payers’ money, was indeed brought against the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Daryl Smith and is horrified by the revelations.

Padarath stated that while Shabaka Kambon did not prescribe innocence or guilt in an interview with journalist Lisana Liburd, in effect he has confirmed that the allegation was made directly against the Minister of Sport. This is an allegation that the Minister himself or the government is yet to categorically deny.

Padarath stated that the article published by Liburd raises several other damning allegations which deals with the conduct of the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, however it also alleges the involvement of the Office of the Attorney General in a cover up conspiracy to save the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs from answering to this charge.

Instead of clearing the Minister’s name, it is alleged that the AG ‘s office brokered the non-disclosure agreement that contained the terms of keeping this matter quiet and having it resolved with tax payers money.

Padarath added that seeing a senior public officer, namely a Minister of Government has been identified as the person being accused, government should have moved swiftly to clear the Minister’s name so as not to erode public trust and confidence in the Office. They have settled instead leaving in the public mind that the allegations are true.

Shabaka Kambon is now a whistleblower in this matter and he now owes a duty to the public interest to have this matter be properly investigated through the Integrity Commission, the Auditor General and the Police.

The Prime Minister, as head of the Government must tell us whether he was aware of the allegations and the avenue that was being used by the Ministry and the Office of the Attorney General before the matter was settled with tax payers’ money and did he sanction this. The article by journalist Lisana Liburd speaks to a series of alleged incidents involving the Minister, which suggest a pattern of behavior. Therefore, the question remains are there other similar instances of tax payers’ money being used to settle claims under non-disclosure agreements.

In the public interest, I call for the Prime Minister to deal frontally with this matter and remove Darryl Smith from the Office of Minister. The public must be told the truth about this matter and all efforts should be made to clear the Minister’s name. Failure to do so, the Prime Minister and Government would have effectively admitted that the allegations bear truth.