Fixin T&T: Govt must be transparent on Army probe into action of Al Rawi’s children

“It is simply not enough for Army investigators to state, according to an Asha Javeed Express report, that ‘procedures were not properly followed that day however, those procedural lapses have since been identified and rectified.’

“The public must be told of the breaches committed, who will be held accountable and what the consequences will be.”

The following is a press statement from Fixin’ T&T on the probe into how Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi’s children came to be in possession of high powered weapons at the Defence Force headquarters in Cumuto:

Photo: Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.
Photo: Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.

FIXIN’ T&T calls on National Security Minister Edmund Dillon to make public, the findings of the Defence Force probe into the matter of children photographed with high powered weapons at Cumuto.

It is simply not enough for Army investigators to state, according to an Asha Javeed Sunday Express report, that “procedures were not properly followed that day however, those procedural lapses have since been identified and rectified.” The public must be told of the breaches committed, who will be held accountable and what the consequences will be.

This is a very serious matter; one where:

·    In the absence of any investigation Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, with Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi sitting by his side, brazenly and irresponsibly threw our National Security Services (Army and Special Branch) under the proverbial bus by strongly suggesting that the photos were taken and publicised by one or more such Officers.

·    AG Faris Al Rawi has refused to even acknowledge that the children in the photograph are his despite the PM and the TTDF having said so.

This issue yet again brings into question the trustworthiness of AG Faris Al-Rawi who:

Photo: Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi (right) shares his views at the Transparency Institute anti-corruption conference on 8 March 2016. (Copyright Shaun Rambaran/forge.co.tt)
Photo: Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi (right) shares his views at the Transparency Institute anti-corruption conference on 8 March 2016.
(Copyright Shaun Rambaran/forge.co.tt)

·    As an Opposition Senator in our Parliament, misrepresented a key finding of a Flying Squad report. That could have resulted in compromising the integrity of the Gillian Lucky-led Police Complaints Authority.

·    Robustly though ill-advisedly defended former Housing Minister Marlene McDonald in the face of a mountain of evidence.

·    Continues to defend Planning and Sustainable Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis’ refusal to provide the public with irrefutable evidence that she withdrew a large sum of cash from a Republic Bank account on 8 January 2016.

FIXIN’ T&T remains firm in our view that criminal activity at every level is at least in part fuelled by the perceived ineffectiveness with which white collar crime and allegations of misbehaviour by high office holders are treated.

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15 comments

  1. Ah love it George Wells. How dare anyone try to apply laws equally for rich children as you would poor children. 😉

  2. Some animals are created more equal than others …..

  3. Seriously though, all yuh realize that just like Carmona housing allowance racket not one ass coming out of this right?

    The Trinidadians on Mt. Olympus need not trouble themselves with the petty grumblings of mortal men ….. and country bookies!

  4. Seriously Mr.Wells, a non- issue?.

  5. A Minister’s kids having a controlled hands-on security briefing is a non issue . What the politicians should be be concentrating on is the 15 year olds running around Laventille ,Enterprise and other hotspots slaughtering each others and bystanders, with easliy available AR’s and AK’s with the same firepower as the Armys snazzy new HK’s -Ok?

  6. In Trinidad authority does not come with responsibility or accountability.
    Dem ting is fuh poor people.

  7. From inception I said that children handling those weapons was wrong,the army has come to the same conclusion and it is up to them to discipline whomsoever would have handed weapons to the children,if they choose to do so.

  8. As a citizen I am more than troubled by the findings and conclusion of the report. What it seems to suggest in a not so subtle fashion ,that in some quarters ,consequences for bad behaviour is not applied and is of not consequences.

  9. Valid concerns but what does Robinson Regis have to do with this?

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