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Just when you think Trinidad and Tobago’s politics has lost the capacity to surprise. Out jumps another revelation that seems so ludicrous and unconscionable that one does not know whether to laugh or cry.
But enough about Jack Warner’s stunning announcement that he can find 40 people willing to lose their deposits for his ILP party at the 2015 General Elections.
Has anyone heard about the resignation of Justice Sebastian Ventour from the Integrity Commission, due to its suspicious “exoneration” of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar?
(Courtesy i95.5FM)
It turns out that President Anthony Carmona, a man who is allegedly happy to receive a $28,000 housing allowance while staying in a State house, might not be best equipped to find just five people capable of lasting much more than a year in a body with goals as lofty as the Integrity Commission. As the old people say: Sheep don’t lime with goat.
Once again, Persad-Bissessar’s increasingly desperate attempts to wriggle free of probing questions in general and the “emailgate” investigation in particular comes into focus.
Rowley’s jaw-dropping stack of emails is not the only thing that seems to be unsettling “Tanty Kamla.”
With the Opposition party rubbing its hands in anticipation of today’s “Private Members Day” in Parliament, the People’s Partnership responded by expelling Rowley from Parliament on the grounds that “emailgate” was a hoax—an action that violate the spirit of the constitution even if they were right, but is even worse since they were not.
The PP then tried to declare Warner as Opposition Leader so as to field questions from the ILP boss rather than tackle the PNM’s expected onslaught on the Petrotrin scandal. And, when that also failed along with the Integrity Commission’s hollow so-called exoneration, the Prime Minister claimed to be unwell.
Undoubtedly, there is no shortage of quacks wielding fake doctorates, within close proximity to the Prime Minister, who could sign her sick-note.
(Courtesy Trinidad Guardian)
Persad-Bissessar did not mention Parliament once when she spoke of her ailment. But she made it clear that it would not prevent her from attending the PP’s fifth anniversary celebrations in Macoya on Sunday.
“I will not miss it for anything,” the Prime Minister told the Trinidad Express. “I am looking forward to it… I will take a little rest, doctors have advised that I should take a little rest, and we will be fine.”
Maybe it is time for Trinidad and Tobago to ask itself a question or two: Would a woman with little obvious respect for the law or the opinion of anyone outside of her “My Lime” list be prepared to peacefully step aside as Prime Minister if the polls demand it?
Would a woman who, for the last two years, has avoided ratifying her own post as political leader in the UNC’s internal elections be any more respectful towards the electorate of the two island republic?
Can we expect that a Prime Minister who thinks nothing of putting pressure on independent bodies like the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Police Complaints Authority and the Integrity Commission could be trusted to leave the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) in peace?
Who will investigate if there is evidence of voter fraud and irregularities? Jack Russo from ComputerLaw? Justice Zainool Hosein?
Trinidad and Tobago has been on alert for a creeping dictatorship for some time now. But Mr Live Wire has a sneaking suspicion that dictatorship ent creeping anymore. It’s wearing high heels.
Peaceful and optimistic to a fault—not to mention allergic to responsibility—the public has turned its eyes towards a new hero to save the country from political instability: the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.
If the Police Service is the answer, can you remind me what the question is please?
Mr Live Wire wouldn’t trust the police to find him a Carib in a pub.
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d deputy DPP nd Ventour facin in d wrath of d ”BRAHMIN TREASURY QUEEN”
35.5 $250,00.00 find 5yrs in prison what they waiting on to lock him up
I am trying to still wrap my head around the IC’s statement though. Why would they quote the legal standard verbatim and not indicate that EITHER there was NO evidence, OR there was INSUFFICIENT evidence to proceed? Common sense would say that their findings were either-or, but NOT both!
It’s either Bharath doesn’t quite fully grasp the concept of irony or he believes bringing state institutions or their officers into disrepute is the exclusive right of the government.
“Bharath reminded Ventour that judicial conduct required that those holding such office refrain from bringing institutions or other officers into disrepute. He said proper procedures for recording dissent or disagreement existed and they never involved public statements.”
Bharath could suck salt yes
It’s funny how Bharath doesn’t hold the government to which he belongs to the same standards to which he holds members of the Integrity Commission.
http://m.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-05-25/bharath%E2%80%88ventour-not-fit-role
We don’t have a president Debbie Espinal, we just have a scamp occupying the President’s office!
Is that Ace sure your spelling is correct.
Well done Bassy
Pnm till I die Sebastion Ventour.. Google said they are fraudulent , case closed. Rowley a disgrace to bring fraud into parliament to attempt to discredit PP. Our police force has a low detection rate for solving crime but two years and they are still fiddling and this is really v easy to solve. Google say fraud and fraud it is
Except for one little thing that you have overlooked. If the government had seen fit to pursue the extradition of Mr. Ishwar Galbarnsingh and Mr. Steve Ferguson there would have been no Section 34, no Emailgate and there would have been no need for the former AG to allegedly “tamper” with a witness! These occurrences are all connected to the UNC Airport Scandal! As long as those two UNC financiers are not brought to trial locally, or extradited to the US to face trial there, the stench of corruption will hang over this government. That is not PNM talk these are the facts.
My sentiments exactly Greer. In the meanwhile do we still have a President??? Pray tell where is he?? Last time we heard from him was over some midriff worn by his Wife. Now that was cause for him to intervene More noteworthy than decent, law abiding citizens of this Country coming under attack by an unprincipled government. SMDH!!!
Looking for justice in this country against the hierarchy is like looking for a needle in a haystack. The govt will continue to get away with their disregard for truth, disrespect for Parliament and total inconsideration for its citizenry because they’ve been allowed to. As long as they have supporters who’d believe whatever concoction they dish out and so-called protesters who hide behind their words, they will be free to do whatever they want. The few who are willing to put their voices and even their characters on the line for love of country will get lost in the abyss of disillusionment and fear. “All that is necessary for evil to abound is for good men to do nothing”.
Greer Jeremie is wasting his time, Carmona isn’t going to do what is suggested because the man, like the government, is entirely without principle.
The question now is what are the principled members of Trinidad society going to do about the unprincipled behavior not only of the government, but also the President.
and public opinion would probably have gone their way
How many integrity commissions are going to fail before somebody says let’s try something else?
Let us also keep in mind that had the government cooperated with investigators and been more forthcoming no doubt the investigation would not be progressing at such a glacial pace.
Also who’s fault is it that the state’s investigative institutions lack the resources to carry out investigations more expeditiously, not the government?
Lasana Liburd if the government can initiate it’s own private investigation because the state’s investigative institutions are progressing too slowly for their liking, then go ahead and vindicate themselves and impose the acceptance of that vindication on the citizenry, why can’t anyone who is under criminal investigation by the justice system do the same?
innocent people have no need to interfere…in my humble opinion
It is no excuse to say that the investigations are moving too slowly so I decided to do my own thing. That is not how countries that respect law behave.
David, the pace of local investigations is definitely ridiculous. But that doesn’t give one the right to interfere. To do so taints the process.
And for the Prime Minister to do so is a very serious case of overstepping the mark.
Richard Zen O’Brien, Christopher De Geese Auguste and crew, What is it I said that is not true? Please enlighten me. Please copy the relevant part I said and enlighten me. Thanks in advance.
Wat d next two Blackman waiting for to get out. Salary???
Sir, applauded the stand you took, that you identified something was not in keeping with your integrity….you are a man of character. class and example. may God always be with you..
The troubling thing for me is that regardless of the reality there will be those Trinidadians who for whatever reason simply cannot see or cannot admit that this administration has done everything within it’s power and then some to obstruct this investigation, and that goes from refusing to cooperate with investigators to misrepresenting how the matter was introduced to Parliament to initiating parallel and competing investigations to proclaiming their own vindication to arbitrarily trying and sentencing the opposition leader to attacking the credibility of the institutions of state that are investigating the matter to questioning the integrity of investigators.
I find it a pity that such persons exist and I find it pointless to even attempt meaningful discourse with them.
David i forgive u for u know not what u say
Me too. Its tiring.
I’ll leave David to his revisionist history.
You are forgiven. But forgiving the PP For their crimes against our country is unforgivable more so because they show no remorse and also because in trying to defend the indefensible they are making a joke of my intelligence
Gosh leslie ann i am eating lmao
Sometimes i wonder if some people are nationals of this country with a stake in its future. Apart from email gate the list of sins over the last 5 years are enough to make me puke.
smh twice
Nah David eating ah food.
smh
You are wrong Richard Zen O’Brien. As soon as the allegations were made the PM basically immediately called on the police to investigate. Kamla, Anand etc also gave permission early on for Google and whoever else to search their servers for copies of the real emails held. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
A man say no accusations were made yes. Well yes papa.
Well said Richard.
Again, time makes people forget… David, you seem to have forgotten one of the BIGGEST obstacles to this investigation was the lack of cooperation from Kamla, Anand and company. Things would have gone a lot faster if they had all turned over their laptops and computers when they were asked. The only reason Google is involved is due to their behavior. (I could remind you of every step of their behaviors if you have forgotten.) So you guys cannot complain about the length of time having done everything possible to obstruct and delay the process, then use that as a reason to pronounce your own innocence.
David, first of all no accusations were made. Just a request for the matter to be investigated. Secondly, the mistrust and embarassment the PP feels has less to do with email gate than the dozens of other indiscretions over the last 2 years. Finally, having failed miserably to discredit the opposition this is their last salvo. The international embarrasment u speak to is how i feel as a citizen under the rule of despotic and incompetent government.
Of course time is of the essence now with general elections right round the corner. If the accused PM and other important MPs believe and know to themselves they are innocent of the very serious criminal allegations they have a right to defend themselves with every ounce of their being. What do you expect them to do? Roll over and do nothing?
This incident of the emailgate novella of emails happened two years ago with the most vicious of allegations that could have been imagined. Remember also the allegations portrayed as fact cast a very bad light on the country internationally. And as we all know the opposition and supporters have been repeating them almost daily at every opportunity. The premise being of course if you repeat an accusation enough it will begin to appear as the truth. Enough time has passed for investigations to be completed with determinations made.
Not even one institution was investigating this but at least two. The police and the IC and whoever else. The way things go in this banana everything takes way too long to be resolved and most times are never resolved. Time to get this wrapped up and let whoever is wrong, accused or accuser pay the ultimate consequences for their actions.
Savitri Maharaj the saddest part is that you found it necessary to inform some people that Google isn’t an investigative institution.
I took it for granted thst everybody knew that.