PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC -The Integrity Fee of Trinidad and Tobago (IC) Tuesday stated it “notes, with concern,” an announcement made by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley relating to its work.
Rowley instructed the Trinidad Guardian newspaper over the weekend that the IC was “intentionally making an attempt to tarnish my fame” after he had been knowledgeable that he’s the topic of one other investigation, making it the third time in his political profession that the IC is investigating him for allegedly breaching the Integrity in Public Life Act (IPLA).
The probe is the second since Rowley grew to become prime minister in 2015.
“The Integrity Fee, performing in live performance with others, is intentionally making an attempt to tarnish my fame by looking for methods to affiliate me with contracts and awards that I’ve had completely nothing to do with.
“The Fee, by itself volition, it says, will re-open an investigation into my involvement. This can be a grand fishing expedition, hoping to slander me by associating me with contracts with which I’ve had completely nothing to do,” Rowley instructed the newspaper.
In a November 23 letter to Rowley, the IC knowledgeable him of the probe “arising from the award of contracts to Mr Allan Warner and firms with which he’s affiliated or related and has an curiosity therein.
“Please be suggested that the Fee has due to this fact discovered it vital to analyze whether or not the federal government contracts awarded to Mr. Warner and firms with which he’s affiliated or related have been granted in conformity with, amongst different issues, adherence to your obligations and duties beneath the act. Particularly after the acceptance of the reward,” the IC wrote.
Rowley stated that after he acquired the letter, he handed it on to his attorneys, who responded to the IC.
“It’s my view that in essentially the most incomprehensible of how, the Fee, in making an attempt to generate one thing right here, has primarily based its actions on particularly 4 contracts recognized by the Fee. Two of those contracts weren’t made by Warner, and the opposite two are contracts awarded in Tobago by the autonomous Tobago Home of Meeting,” Rowley stated.
However in its assertion, the IC stated it has a constitutional obligation “to make sure transparency in decision-making.
“In discharging that obligation, the Fee could also be required to ask questions of individuals in public life, such because the Honourable Prime Minister, in regards to the position that he could have performed in guaranteeing selections.”
The Fee “has by no means handled anybody in discharging its constitutional obligation.
“It should be understood that answering questions in regards to the position that one could have performed in guaranteeing selections comes with the territory when individuals enter public life.
“ Whereas it’s maybe comprehensible for individuals in public life to really feel involved and even irritated when requested to reply questions in regards to the position that they might have performed within the making of sure selections, it’s irresponsible to permit that concern or irritation to drive them to make accusations of collusion or mischief primarily based on nothing greater than the mere proven fact that they’ve been requested to reply questions,” the Fee stated.
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