Tag Archives: HDC

Part One of my look into State boards prompted a series of extremely interesting responses, so I will continue this examination of the State Controlled Agencies. This term includes State-owned Enterprises (SoEs) such as UDECOTT, Caribbean Airlines and Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL), as well as Statutory Agencies like WASA, TTEC, CDA, …

The recent controversy over the dismissal of Dennise Demming as Chair of the Tourism Development Company (TDC) has sparked yet another round of debate on the role and operation of State-owned Enterprises (SoEs). Some of the issues which have arisen are: •What is the purpose of these SoEs? •How do …

Sunity Maharaj and I wrote, on the same Sunday last month, about the much delayed revelation of the exercise of so called Ministerial discretion to make State housing available to media personnel. These persons, including high profile journalists, were treated preferentially, at least as far as jumping the queue was …

“You can look at several laws that have been passed over the years that made absolutely no difference,” said Minister of Communications and Public Administration Maxie Cuffie. “The integrity in public life act has not made us more honest. It has not dealt with corruption. And it is because we …

Judged by the standards to which it holds other institutions of public trust, one would’ve expected a clear and unambiguous media response to the Sunday Express report that a significant number of journalists and media workers were beneficiaries of public housing on the basis of personal recommendations from ministers of …

The discovery that a large group of people benefitted from the exercise of ministerial and satellite power in their favour in what appears to be preferential circumstances should undoubtedly have attracted scrutiny from the media. The fact that the benefit was the allocation of houses by the Housing Development Corporation …

The following is a release from the TCM (Total Convenience Management) Board regarding TV6 and Trinidad Express reports on the rental of a Mercedes Benz to the HDC, which, TCM allege, contained ‘inaccuracies and misrepresentations of their business arrangement. Businessman Kirk Waithe is a prominent member of TCM as well as …

Independent Senator Dhanayshar Mahabir suggested last Friday that “Big Momma’s House” might be an appropriate caption for the furore surrounding Marlene McDonald’s request for a home for her boo, which may or may not be an improvement on Marlene-gate. If only because it would be more accurate to say Marlene-gated …

On Friday January 15, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi launched a defence for Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s decision not to have Housing Minister Marlene McDonald step down, despite her admission that she enquired about a HDC house for her common-law husband, Michael Carew, in 2008. McDonald was Minister of Community …

Soca chutney star and local music icon, Samraj “Rikki Jai” Jaimungal, was the victim of armed robbery on Wednesday night, after band rehearsal on Wednesday night. So far, Mr Live Wire understands that Soca Monarch franchise holder, William Munro, is not considered a suspect. “He threatened to shoot me but …

Afra Raymond resigning from JCC is no trivial matter, yet it is surprising how social media comments, and corner talk are missing the heart of the issue. The implications for the future of governance and transparency in Trinidad and Tobago is at serious risk when a reasonable request for transparency …