ASKED to respond to claims of a double-standard on his part in relation to old, concluded matters which now appear to have resurfaced in relation to Minister of Finance and the Economy Larry Howai and Opposition Whip Marlene Mc Donald, PNM political leader Dr Keith Rowley yesterday said the two could not be compared. Rowley has expressed satisfaction with Mc Donald notwithstanding questions over allegations that a person tied to her received a grant from a ministry she once led a few weeks before the 2010 general election. A letter from the Integrity Commission later stated, in 2013, that no evidence of a breach of the Integrity in Public Life Act had been found. At the same time, Rowley has called for action in the wake of reports of an investigation which involved a group of persons including Larry Howai, the current Minister of Finance, dating back to 2007. That matter saw the Securities and Exchange Commission close its inquiries after a notice stated insufficient evidence was found. Yet, notwithstanding the SEC’s finding, Rowley yesterday pushed on with the matter at a press conference. Asked to comment on the apparent discrepancy, Rowley said, “Marlene Mc Donald is not the Minister of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago. The person involved has evolved to become the Minister of Finance in charge of the Treasury.” Rowley also said he was not certain whether the SEC communicates matters in relation to investigations to government. The SEC matter would have occurred under the PNM. Rowley held a press conference at the Office of the Opposition Leader at Charles Street, Port-of- Spain, for the purpose of addressing matters reportedly contained in legal advice by Barbadian QC Henry Ford to the SEC in relation to a transaction in 2005. Holding what he stated was the document, Rowley said it identified Howai and made certain statements about him. Yet, asked to disclose the document in full to the media, Rowley declined. At the same time, the Opposition Leader issued a call for the SEC to release any legal advice it had received. He cited a statement by officials that the SEC had, after reviewing legal advice, closed the case. “Somewhere along the way, the commission issued a public statement saying it has received legal advice which caused the commission to drop the matter,” Rowley said. “We are calling on the SEC to tell the population whether that advice which it claims was used to stop this matter from proceeding, make that advice available to the public.” Holding up sheets of paper, Rowley said, “That is particularly urgent since this document is now in the public domain.” Rowley said Howai still had unanswered questions in relation to the undisclosed document. He also said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar should take action after hearing specific answers to questions raised. Rowley hinted that he would be willing to take the matter to Parliament, possibly as a motion. In a statement issued last week on the matter, Howai said, “It is extremely irregular and questionable that a confidential report on an issue that arose and was properly adjudged to have been a non-matter 10 years ago, would be resurrected in the public domain for what can only be deemed as purposes of mischief and even malice.” The Minister further stated, “If indeed this confidential report was leaked, that in itself may constitute an unlawful act and as such, should be thoroughly investigated.”
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 12:52:57 +0000
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