Sunday 21st December 2014 Ricardo Gladiator Welch Added Express Story By Anika Gumbs I DIDNT KNOW MY MAN WAS A DIRECTOR OF CALABAR FOUNDATION AND OF CHEQUES Incumbent Port of Spain South Member of Parliament (MP) Marlene McDonald claims she did not know her companion was a director of a nongovernmental organisation (NGO) that received grants from the Ministry of Community Development, which she once headed under the former People’s National Movement (PNM) administration. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express last Thursday at her Piccadilly Street constituency office, McDonald broke her silence on the allegations of misconduct levelled against her. She feels she has been subjected to class discrimination from PNM colleagues because of her humble background and her elevation to chief whip and deputy political leader of the PNM. McDonald also dismissed allegations that she was under a fresh investigation by the Integrity Commission (IC). Admitting she shared a relationship with Michael Carew, a director of Calabar Foundation, McDonald claims she was in the dark over the grants given to the NGO under the Community Action for Revival and Empowerment Programme. “Michael Carew has his own home and I have my own home. We are together,” McDonald said. Lewis Carew and Victor Mc Eachrane are listed as the other directors of the NGO. McDonald and McEachrane were colleagues when she was employed at the Diego Martin Credit Union before she decided to throw her hat into the political ring. Asked if she approved the $375,000 grant for Calabar Foundation during her tenure as line minister, McDonald said: “I did not know about Calabar Foundation. There is nothing for me to hide. I was unaware of Calabar Foundation. I was unaware of it. What they are trying to allege is that I got that. I want them to bring the evidence. I did not need that because when I came into politics I came in well-appointed. I came in with a home, land, car and money. I did not need that.” Discrepancy with Calabar cheque payment The $375,000 cheque among others together with a list of allegations that were sent to PNM political leader Dr Keith Rowley seeking to influence him not to approve McDonald’s nomination to contest the 2015 general elections went viral last week. Among the allegations is a document listing payments made to Calabar Foundation. The payments are as follows: 1) a cheque no-282348 November 9, 2012-Emancipation Day-$5,000 2) a cheque no-278109 July 2, 2012-Indian Arrival Day-$3,500 3) a cheque no-275486 May 9, 2012-Family event -$3,500 4) a cheque no-271974 December 12, 2011-Christmas party-$10,000 5) However, there are discrepancies in the payment of cheque no 236829 for the sum of $375,000. Perusal of the document indicated the cheque was originally listed and recorded on May 12, 2012. However, the 2012 date seems to have been removed and “2010” inserted to correspond with Mc Donald’s tenure two weeks before the PNM demitted office on May 24, 2010. (See image of cheques below) The $375,000 cheque that is being circulated is dated May 12, 2010 and was cashed on September 9, 2010 at what was then RBTT Bank Ltd, Starlite Shopping Plaza in Diego Martin some three months after it was allegedly dispatched. Company records show that Calabar Foundation was registered on August 24, 2010. Told that the date on the cheque and when it was recorded at the ministry differed, Mc Donald said: “I am unaware of the differences with the dates.” Company documents and incorporation certificates, Mc Donald said, are not sent to the line minister when approval for grants are being sought. McDonald said: “Nobody told or showed me that I needed to check to see if all the NGOs requesting funding were registered. A minister does not sign cheques. I was never presented with a listing stating what particular NGOs were registered or not. Over time you will see the name of the same NGO coming up. The role of the minister is to grant approval and forward the document to the accounting officer to ensure that the proper procedure was followed. As line minister at the Community Development Ministry I never did a check on any NGO. I have seen in some cases where people sent in requests and the cheque is made payable to the NGO and sometimes they come back and ask for the cheque to made payable to an individual because no bank account was set up.” McDonald said a similar incident occurred with a NGO from her constituency. “After approval was granted the ministry was informed that no bank account was set up for the NGO. They had to go and set up the bank account before the cheque was cashed. This is because funding is not given in the name of an individual,” McDonald said. Not stepping down In light of the allegations, McDonald, who successfully won the Port of Spain South seat in the 2007 and 2010 general elections has no intention of stepping down. McDonald said: “I am a fighter. I don’t roll over easy. When I was appointed chief whip it hurt a lot of hearts because of where I came from. It is not easy for me to come from east Port of Spain to hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics (second class honours), Bachelor of Law (second class) and a Legal Education certificate.” McDonald said the allegations were discussed with Rowley and she has his support. “Never in my career have I ever been accused of this nonsense. Never! There is collusion. Former politicians are involved and others. I was called in Cabinet the downtown girl. I never understood why. I came from behind the bridge downtown in Belmont. I grew up in a one-room apartment but the downtown girl went on to become the chief whip and one year later I am the deputy political leader. My appointment did not sit well with some people. It aggravated some people but I was raised in a PNM home. I know about loyalty and commitment. The former political leader Mr Patrick Manning also taught us that. So when his (Manning) term went and somebody else turn came (Dr Rowley) I am not going to get involved in subterfuge or any other mechanism. (Dr Rowley) is our leader and he will remain the leader until he demits office. If I have to suffer because of this so be it,” McDonald said. The Port of Spain South seat has been mired in controversy after McDonald was selected for a third consecutive time to contest the upcoming 2015 general elections. Former Port of Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing openly voiced his disapproval, accusing the PNM screening committee of being unfair. McDonald got the party’s nod I don’t know about any probe Asked to comment on allegations that she was currently under investigation for breaches under the Integrity in Public Life Act (IPLA) based on new information sent to the IC, McDonald said: “Up to Wednesday (December 17) I called the IC because these allegations have been swirling around and the IC was very clear and told me that under the IPLA an individual must be notified if they are being investigated. I received no such notification.” Section 38 of the IPLA reads: “No report concluding that a person to whom this act applies has failed without reasonable justification to fullfill a duty or obligation under this act shall be made until reasonable notice has been given to such person of the alleged failure and the person has been allowed full opportunity to be heard either in person or by an attorney-at-law.” McDonald also produced a letter from the IC dated December 23, 2013 showing she was cleared of any wrongdoing. The letter that is signed by the IC registrar Martin Farrell reads: “I have been directed by the IC to inform you that pursuant to Section 33 (b) of the IPLA, Chapter 22:01 the IC has investigated allegations of breaches of the act made against you. The IC further informs you that it has found no evidence of any breach of the IPLA.” Mobilisation fees mix-up The Sunday Express however learned that a copy of a $2.3 million cheque that was paid to Mc Eachrane’s Rental and Transport Services along with information relating to three community centres were sent to the IC a few weeks ago. Company records list Mc Eachrane as the individual proprietor of the business that was registered in August 1997. Mc Eachrane was awarded the contracts for construction of the Sea Lots Homework Centre, Marcano Quarry Lands and Bon Air Community Centres. Only the Sea Lots Homework Centre was completed at a cost of $1.2 million. It was originally estimated to cost $1.5 million. Asked if she was aware that the information was sent to the IC, McDonald said: “I know nothing about that.” McDonald said under her tenure the project unit was mandated to build homework and community centres across the country. “I never got involved in the award of contracts. There was a project unit that deals with that. As line minister on a Tuesday I was briefed about what progress was made in relation to the construction of community and home work centres. When I demitted office in May I left 52 community centres at varying stages. The People’s Partnership administration don’t have to build none. They only have to complete what I started across this country. Not one of us knew that when these projects were being awarded that we were going to have a general election. I challenge anyone to check and see if I ever signed for anyone to get a contract. I never got involved because that is the responsibility of the accounting officer. I always kept it separate and apart. The projects were abandoned after the general election,” McDonald said. She also disclosed that an $11 million contract was awarded two months before the 2010 general elections for construction of a multipurpose hall at Bazillon Street in Port of Spain. “It was supposed to be the first swimming pool in East Port of Spain. I went to Sea Lots on Wednesday (December 17) and saw that a resident built a pool and jacuzzi for residents to use. I wanted to build a big Olympic-size pool on Bazillon Street because we had the space but it did not materialise. I don’t know why people are trying to give the impression that I had something to do with this. I know when I was there I had it hot. I opened 20 community centres,” McDonald said. When the Sunday Express contacted Mc Eachrane last Thursday for him to shed some light on the matter he blamed the change in administration for the delay. Mc Eachrane said the $2.3 million cheque he received in April 2010 was for mobilisation fees and to demolish the existing structure on Quarry Lands. The Sunday Express learned that the centre was estimated to cost approximately $8.7 million “All the demolition was done and money was paid for security because in that area it is difficult,” Mc Eachrane said. Regarding the Bon Air project, Mc Eachrane said he only received $400,000 because funding was an issue. Mc Eachrane said: “I got $400,000 in mobilisation fees. We started that project. The fencing was done, a bridge was constructed from the main road to the project and the excavation was done. Then the project was stopped. I am still owed $900,000 on that project.” The centre was estimated to cost $9.7 million. Responding to the allegations that he was selected as the preferred contractor because both he and McDonald worked together at Diego Martin Credit Union, Mc Eachrane said: “The allegations are malicious. The credit union is a public organisation that has a board of directors. It is subject to internal and external auditors. Even after Ms McDonald left, that credit union had a clean record. Nothing ever came up to show that anybody did wrong. Two people cannot be in cohorts because there is a board of directors. They are being malicious in an effort to try and destroy Ms McDonald and in doing that they are trying to destroy a number of people in the process.” Attempts to contact line minister Winston Gypsy Peters were unsuccessful as telephone calls went unanswered.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 07:27:47 +0000