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An expensive 'Pappyshow'
The Uff Commission of Enquiry has all the hallmarks of a carefully-orchestrated political conspiracy. One caller to Dale and Tony’s popular morning radio talk show linked the fiasco to the premature resignation of former AG, Annisette George, who quietly resigned without any explanation. Could this be why she resigned? Could it be that the PM felt she didn’t have the political guts to manage this “project?” Or, maybe she indicated that she wasn’t cut out for this kind of fancy footwork? Jeremie certainly had the experience for the job after the Sat Sharma fiasco. This inquiry was doomed to fail, and set up to run itself into the ground. The signs were all there. PM Manning agreed to have this commission only because the allegations made by Ramesh in Parliament fell on fertile soil, in light of the evidence he provided to show the family links and connections between Mr and Mrs Hart and Sunway Construction from Malaysia. The company had just landed a $369-million contract to build the Legal Affairs Towers, and the evidence of nepotism and corruption was compelling, to say the least. In mid-July, 2008, less than two months after the commission was announced, PM Manning received Sunway’s representatives at his office for a private meeting, to discuss the possibility of further work and the status of current projects.
This meeting was an early signal from the PM to all concerned that this inquiry was not meant to be anything more than an expensive “pappyshow.” The selection of Israel Khan as a commissioner was another clue. Having made a public declaration of his admiration and allegiance to the PNM, his appointment was bound to be controversial and contentious. An excellent criminal lawyer, his abrasive attitude and temperament made him an unwise choice from the start. Then came the battery of mostly PNM lawyers, whose silent and not-so-silent support of the government facilitates an easy passage to lucrative legal work and creates a superficial veneer of pompous respectability to the proceedings. In the midst of the most damning evidence at the inquiry, a picture appeared on the front page of newspapers with the President, the PM and Mr Hart toasting with champagne and laughing, to commemorate the opening of the waterfront project.
This was a clear message to the commissioners that they should be careful what they write in their report. It is reminiscent of pictures of Panday clapping while the dancing Dhanraj Singh threw powder onto supporters when frustrated contractors were begging Panday to intervene and clip his wings by stopping the extortionary behaviour of the notorious ten per cent man.
Imagine our President, who appointed this commission, toasting with the main accused that is the subject of the inquiry. This is the same President who appointed Michael Annisette an independent senator, despite the fact that he was in the government’s back pocket (as evidenced by his appointments to numerous state boards, including Udecott), and hence incapable of being truly independent. The same President who cannot appoint a new Integrity Commission for over nine months now, so that complaints of corruption at Udecott can be investigated.
It’s difficult to avoid the perception that our President is “in” on this grand PNM project/conspiracy that is designed to make the government look transparent, while protecting and covering up the massive corruption that has occurred. The application for judicial review by Udecott is hilarious. This is a government-controlled, state enterprise. It puts the AG in a precarious position and embarrasses the Government. It is a classic case of right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. Or, is it? The idea must surely be to create a thick smokescreen that makes the AG look like a pious, serious corruption-buster while nevertheless facilitating the legal challenge on the ground of bias. It is a case of the Government being biased against itself, it seems. Nothing will come of the inquiry, because the Government cannot afford to let corruption be exposed. It is Manning’s main trump card with the electorate and against the beleaguered UNC. The case will either drag on in court; the report will not be made public; or criminal charges will be laid on the eve of the next general election, as a prelude to another endless marathon journey like the one in the airport corruption cases. Why don’t we just save ourselves a lot of money and give Calder Hart a nice Christmas bonus?
By Anand Ramlogan
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"UDECOTT GIVES SUNWAY NEW $300M PROJECT
By Andre Bagoo Sunday, October 11 2009"
.....well Anand, you're so right, because according to today's Newsday headlines, Hart just got another Christmas Bonus...all $300 Million dollars worth, all at the expense and courtesy of the People of Trinidad & Tobago...and both he (Calder Hart) and Patrick Manning rubbing our collective noses in the dirt at the same time... literally telling us "go suck salt"...!
...I guess we could safely say, so much for ("vox populi, vox dei"...the voice of the people is the voice of god" )...as Patrick said at the victory speech after the last election...now he changed his tune to; " Ah flogging you all in the East, the West, The North and the South my friends and not a damn dog bark...the Prime Minister has spoken..."..!
...political corruption is nothing new to this regime, and wherever there is corruption, there is also conspiracy as well...Machievelli has always proven himself to be right in this regard...!..
...so very soon the major players are going to be identified, and at such time the "plan" will unravel and be revealed and collapse, and that is when the real bacchanal will start...thats when "the knives and swords will come out" and the "back stabbing" begins...!
...they say, money is the root of all evil and wherever there is "plenty monies to be stolen and pilfered" there is never the word "enough"...they become blind to greed and corruption...totally oblivious to everyone and everything else around them...!
...as a colleague of mine used to say at the start of his wappie games..."now gentlemen, let there be fairness amongst thieves"...and not very long after that, the fighting and killings start, because they always want more, thats their very nature...its imbedded in them...pure greed..!
... and soon after, the "house of cards will collapse"...thats when it comes to "every man for himself"...and thats when they all run for cover...but where to...???
...Hart can't go back to Canada or could he...???...he may still be wanted in Saskatchewan...where the last Parliamentary Committe said to him..."money disappearing faster than the sinking Titanic and we don't have any houses to show for it..."..that was back in 1986...and just before he took off to reside in good ole Trinidad...?
...as for Max Richards, well he just don't give a fig...so long as the glass have ice and something to swirl in it...?
...and that brings us to Patrick...wey he go run...de money done...wey de money gone...?
...the people must hold him accountable for it, their patrimony, the future of our country and for our children and grandchildren...he has squandered it all, in corruption and mismanagement must be made to pay for it at some time...whenever that may be...?
...well, sometime before his "pacemaker" runs out of "battery" just like the "pink bunny"...or the "warranty on the pacemaker expires"...because if it was made in Taiwan, then crapaud smoke his pipe...as the saying goes...all good things comes to an end...but bad things end sooner...!
...the "plan" is not Fool Proof, and no matter how much they delay and grand charge...Professor Uff will get to the bottom of it...next year is not far off...but what we have seen come out to date, there is very little left over for the imagination...the people of Trinidad & Tobago are not that "ignorant" as one Minister called us...we are not stupid...!
... we can already see the writing on the wall...long before the Uff's Commission Report is completed, even if its never tabled in Parliament and made public...there is already more than enough out there...we, the people are not blind, and "we nah goin" nowhere soon...!
...so even if its suppressed by chicanery, by lawyers of Udecott, Calder Hart, The President or by Patrick himself ...with delaying tactics, somebody has to pay...we the people of Trinidad & Tobago should make sure of that...no if's and but's...its only a matter of time...as all twine has an end too...!
...good work Anand, well said...!
...goodluck..Trini.t.o.o
...in the wake following yesterday's news report of UdeCOTT giving Sunway a "new $300 Million contract project to Sunway"...today's news headlines screamed;
..."outrage over $300M Contract"...!
...followed by...
"THE Urban Development Corporation’s (Udecott) decision to quietly award a multi-million dollar contract to Sunway Construction Caribbean Limited yesterday sparked outrage and uproar from rival factions in the Opposition United National Congress (UNC), the TT Transparency Institute (TTTI) and a prominent member of the local construction industry. The contract was awarded for Sunway to furnish the Legal Affairs Tower at Government Campus Plaza in Port-of-Spain. "
...it was further reported that, the Government rejected claims that such a contract was awarded by UdeCOTT...!
...in speaking with reporters, Tabaquite MP, Ramesh Maharaj said "it was unbelievable and shocking that UdeCOTT awarded this project to Sunway, as there is evidence before the Commission which suggests the existence of "shared links" between UdeCOTT Chairman, Calder Hart and Sunway, which was previously known as CH Development..."!
...while there were comments coming from other individuals, including TTI Chairman Victor Hart, TT Contractors Association President Mikey Joseph, and UNC Deputy Chairman Vasant Bharath, all denouncing the awarding of the contract, ...the one that is truly hilarious is that of Mr. Lenny Saith, ...who stated the following
...But in response, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Dr Lenny Saith said: “What I know is that it can’t be $300 million. That has to be the figment of someone’s imagination.” As a public building, the Legal Affairs Tower falls under the Ministry of Public Administration which Saith headed prior to the November 5, 2007 general election. Saith also said there was nothing unusual about Sunway doing furnishing work on the tower.
...this was followed by another government minister..."Public Administration Minister Kennedy Swaratsingh said his ministry does not award contracts and in this case, the contract would have been awarded by Udecott. Swaratsingh said there is a team in his ministry which liaises with Udecott on such matters and they have not given him any report about a $300 million contract being awarded to Sunway."
...so this is the case of the illusive $300 million contract ...one that nobody seem to know anything about...and to cite Lenny Saith..."what I know is that it can't be $300 million,,,that has to be the figment of someone's imagination..."!
.....these folks should all be in the comedy business, because they are all "jokers"...except they are not funny at all, they are just playing games with the "people's monies"...the patrimony of the People of Trinidad & Tobago...and yes, Hart gets to walk away with another "booty", another Christmas gift, courtesy of the people of Trinidad & Tobago...grinning all the way to the bank...yet another time, scott free...!
...its very hard to understand, let alone believe that all of this is happening in our lovely country, and to this day, Patrick Manning has not uttered a word...except for his laughable speech at the U.N to tell them that crime in T&T is all due to loss of contract for banana (fig) and sugar...???!
...and Hart ...well he may still have the sore throat and the bottle of "cough syrup" walking around in his hand...pushing his front man and fall guy Bahadoorsingh to take the heat...?
...the whole world must surely be looking in at us and laughing...such a small sweet and oil rich country...and look at what is has become...all an "illusion"... "of a resort place in the sun..".!
...for Patrick himself..." a delusion of grandeur of himself as a world class Statesman/Emperor"...!
...and for the people themselves..."well pure hell and ketch tail"...they get left holding the bag with ..."no more milk and honey"..."no more money honey" ...and now "wey de money gone...???
...there is a saying..."beware you get what you've asked for"...well, maybe they have reached, they may have achieved just that...but at least the "preacher man have stopped preaching, for now..."...maybe he coaught the cold and sore throat from Calder Hart...and they're both walking round with "cough syrup in their hands"...and pushing their fall guys to talk and take the "rap"...?
...these guys should be up in the United States, they would have had already got measured for their "black & white" striped suits and you could hear the "steel doors clanging from all the way down here..."?
...its all an illusion on one hand and a delusion on the other...!
...but then this is good ole sweet Trinidad & Tobago..."maybe they just like it here as it is... and we just like it so..."!
...goodluck...Trini.t.o.o
Your heading is on point, this is in fact an "expensive pappyshow", of greater concern however, is that the expense is ours and not those who serious allegations have been made, not only by those opposed to the govnt but by even a Minister. In the face of many allegations, the PM indicated that he has not heard a single allegation from anyone concerning Udecott, then came Dr. Rowley. Alas we got the CoE, but this has been riddled with issues from the start, early one I have stated that this seems to me a very well orchestrated disaster. The next move would be very interesting.
The reality is that by the nature of the 'social contract' the electorate agrees - via the electoral process - to trust the elected on how to spend their money.
The elected are not subject to the usual rules of tort, or personal liability.
This is therefore a wake up call for all on the Rock i.e. be bloody careful who you elect. Play party politics the wrong way, and you lose - they lose your tax money i.e. flush it dong dee drain, or t'ief it out.