Wired868 Wired868 for smart sport news and opinion
The Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI) is urging Finance Minister Colm Imbert to adapt a different stance to his predecessor, Larry Howai, and immediately release information relating to CL Financial’s financial statements and creditors, as ordered by Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh since 22 July 2015.
(Courtesy Ministry of Finance)
The Transparency Institute reiterated its appeal of 7 August 2015, which was ignored by Howai, and “requests the new Minister of Finance to forgo any appeal procedure in order to expedite the Court’s ruling and to advance citizens’ rights under the Freedom of Information Act.”
The following is the Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute’s release of 7 August 2015, which urged the then Finance Minister, Howai, to release the relevant information to the public, as ordered by Justice Boodoosingh:
Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI) notes that on the 22nd July 2015, Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh ruled that the Minister of Finance and the Economy is obliged to provide information relating to CL Financial’s financial statements, its creditors and a briefing presentation to the Parliament. The ruling followed denial of requests for information made by citizen Afra Raymond under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Court noted that “the object of the Act is to make information freely accessible to the public with a view to promoting transparency and accountability in the decision making of public authorities.”
The cloud that hangs over this $25 billion dollar bailout with taxpayers’ monies must be removed. Release of the information now ordered by the Court will go a long way towards demonstrating the Government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
The Public’s right to know how public money is used must be given utmost priority and TTTI therefore calls on the Minister of Finance and the Economy to respect the Court’s ruling and provide the information requested on CL Financial without any further delay.
“[…] The now-infamous Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), exposed thanks to Afra Raymond’s successful legal challenge, showed a lopsided agreement. The Read more
We are living in difficult times. We are witnessing the world, as we know it, turn topsy-turvy. But we want Read more
February has arrived. It is a month that is usually the prelude to our annual carnival, which culminates in two Read more
“[…] With the current leadership transition announced by Dr Keith Rowley, despite having new faces in the likes of Kareem Read more
“Foodstuffs have a shortage daily, business places burning in the city/ Before they watch these things seriously, the whole meeting Read more
Finance Minister Colm Imbert delivered his version of Black Stalin’s Wait Dorothy Wait. His budget was the reverse of Stalin’s Read more
Our Mission is to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society. Our Core Values are: transparency, accountability, integrity, solidarity, courage, justice and democracy.
It is amazing that TT $100 Billion Dollars in assets at the time of CL Financial collapse which is currently under management by the T & T Government. some of which was sold off to pay Policyholders and depositors.. minus taxpayers bailout money of TT$ 7.3 Billion Dollars. However some of CL Financial Assets were disposed of by selling off same to friends and families etc. while poor people whose money helped build this one and only Black Caribbean based Empire still waiting on the balance of their deposits!!! or waiting on the whiteman (Privy Council) to tell them what to do!! but, don’t worry we are an Independent Nation ….Did i forget to mention we are also a Republic within the Commonwealth….take a bow people!!!
It is long overdue….release the Clico Report into the Public Domain Now!!!!!! Unless there are things to cover up by the Governments past and present!!!
nd d legal opinion on Invaders Bay also
It is the Ministry of Finance who decided to appeal the matter to the Privy Council. Why shouldn’t they be able to release the info?
They can squash the case at any time. It is their appeal.
But the important thing to note is the court has already ruled that the Ministry of Finance should make the CL Financial data public
Was just asking if it’s legally whatever to release any info related to the matter while a PC ruling is being sought.
Well, if they are fighting to keep the info private then it would defeat the purpose of the case. But there are no legal ramifications.
I don’t think the PC appeal is about keeping the info private. At least not wholly.
Well, there is nothing to stop them legally from speaking about the case that I can see.
Urrmm…the gov’t is the defendant in that Privy Council case
The government has appealed the decision to release the information, not so Savitri? Afra, can you give us some more clarity?
Lasana Liburd – my lawsuit is purely for information, as contrasted to the Peter Permell/RLM lawsuits which are to recover certain monies invested with CL Financial – the two cases are not really connected in my view…my own has no financial implications, while the other one has serious costs to pay-out if the State loses…The High Court ruled in my favour on 22nd July 2015 and the Ministry of Finance appealed that ruling on 10th August 2015…I have written to the new Finance Minister, Colm Imbert, to request that he withdraw the appeal and publish details as to how this vast sum of Public Money has been spent…
Thanks Afra.
This matter was just heard by the privy council though. Can info, any info relating to the matter, be released if they’re waiting on a PC ruling?
Only the case that RLM undertook…but I hear what you say with regard to the gov’t side. Btw, did you all know the gov’t fired the last team of lawyers and replaced them with their own team
let’s see who really pays for elections
interesting indeed.
I am looking forward to seeing that report…
Finally, they found their voice! @afra Ramond, you should also post on Disclosure Today. I await statement from these interest groups, and see what they say and what the gov’t response will be. But good news if there is a call made.