WE WANT ANSWERS, MR. PRIME MINISTER
By Andre Bagoo
March 05, 2010
THE CONGRESS of the People (COP) yesterday called on Prime Minister Patrick Manning to immediately account for his failure to take action against Udecott executive chairman Calder Hart in light of fresh evidence linking Hart to a company his board awarded $820 million in contracts.
“The Prime Minister should account to the Parliament and indicate what actions the Government will take in order to preserve the integrity of the public justice system of Trinidad and Tobago,” Dookeran said yesterday at a press conference at the COP’s Flagship House on Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain. newsday.co.tt
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I don’t know these people
Imbert has no answers to questions on Hart family ties to UDeCOTT contracts
Works Minister Colm Imbert yesterday adopted a ‘see-nothing, know-nothing’ attitude when asked about the release of documentary evidence which appeared to confirm that Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) boss Calder Hart had a family connection to CH Development, the company which UDeCOTT awarded, under Hart’s chairmanship, a $367 million contract to build the Legal Affairs Ministry tower.
Lucrative affairs of the Harts
CALDER HART, chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), has some fresh questions to answer. And those questions should be put to him by official investigators, following the revelation that Hart’s in-laws got a multi-million-dollar contract from UDeCOTT, despite Hart telling the Uff Commission of Enquiry that no such family link existed.
Worst fears realised
…says Rowley on COP’s Udecott documents
Diego Martin West MP Dr Keith Rowley has said his worst fears about the award of construction contracts materialised yesterday with the publication of reports which allege that there are family links between Udecott chairman Calder Hart and a Malaysian company. “I had the Prime Minister and Imbert saying in Hansard that I am obsessed with Udecott and, of course, I am obsessed with Udecott,” Rowley said in a telephone interview yesterday. “If this is what is happening at Udecott, then I am supposed to be obsessed with it,” he said.
We demand truth
THE Government is continuing to show a shocking lack of concern over a snowballing of allegations that seriously question the integrity of the expenditure of $820 million in taxpayer’s money on the controversial Legal Affairs Tower.
Hart ‘played role’ in Guanapo church design
Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) chairman Calder Hart was allegedly involved in organising the professional services relating to the design of the Lighthouse of the Lord Jesus Christ Church at the Heights of Guanapo, Arima. And the design work was done for free, or for a nominal fee, unimpeachable sources said yesterday.
Hazel mum on PM’s spiritual adviser
Local Government Minister Hazel Manning has refused to comment on questions concerning her husband Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s spiritual adviser Juliana Pena.
High Court judge delivers ruling in UDeCOTT lawsuit today
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March 04, 2010
EXPOSED: Malaysian documents prove Hart’s family
affair in award of $300m UDeCOTT contract
The longstanding denials by controversial executive chairman of UDecott, Calder Hart, about family links to a firm he awarded a multi-million-dollar Government contract to five years ago have effectively been debunked by documents recently obtained from the Malaysian Government.
COP blows whistle on Harts
FRESH DOCUMENTS which appear to conclusively tie Udecott executive chairman Calder Hart to a company his board awarded $820 million worth in contracts emerged yesterday after being obtained by the Congress of the People (COP).
COP wants criminal probe
In the wake of the new links which show a definitive family connection between Calder Hart and the CH directors, Congress of the People deputy political leader, Prakash Ramadhar, has written to the Acting Commissioner of Police, Acting DPP and the Integrity Commission, demanding an immediate criminal probe into Hart.
I don’t know what else is needed for the Government to understand that this state enterprise is a milking cow and the people are suffering from lack of basics that the billions stolen could provide. But worst than this the blind PNM hacks continue to defend the madness, some say that there are no alternatives, some ask who we go put; others say the PNM is the lesser of the evil. The PNM has a mandate given to them by the blind loyalists to do just what they have been doing. And every Monday morning the very blind loyalists would block roads, protests and take out their frustration on innocent people for their troubles. So much has come out of this CoE into Udecott, and still many deny that this present regime is as corrupt as night follows day. One PNM hack has indicated on several occasions that those facing charges relation to the airport project are doing everything possible to defend themselves and avoid being extradited to the e US to answer charges, but this same person would say nothing about Udecott doing the very same thing. I am outlining all this to say – once you blindly support any political party, you would never get a government that would work in your interest, they don’t have to.
In a mature society people like Mr. Calder Hart would be history. No (truly) national leader would allow someone with the excesses and conflict of interests that Mr. Hart has dished out to the public would still be around after all of the revelations of misconduct. Where are the interest groups that have the national interest at heart asking the PM not to embarass the party and the nation? In a mature society these groups would be the watch dogs that do not allow issue after issue to embarass and subject the people to be seen as uncaring and and weaklings in the face of governmental incompetences. The same way people who get fed up with the lack of water going on the streets and protesting, we should have groups (concerned citizens) putting pen to paper, use the mass media and hold public forums to inform citizens that behaviourial defficiencies exists in the leadership of those placed in authority to govern us properly. The people should be informed the same way Dr. Williams informed us as a budding nation that what is going on is not right. Leaders do not buckle under weak protests, they take note when forceful and intelligent discussions and actions are made to bear on the consequences of their actions.
It’s high time we the people cease supporting political parties blindly. Instead we should be a thorn in our representitives backsides to produce the goods and serve us. Immediately we should stop voting for political parties and vote for indviduals belonging to any political party.What is important is whether or not they did their job properly when voted into office. Did they stand up for the comman man & woman during their tenure, if not vote them out. It’s time to clean house, startinging at the top. Mr. Manning must be kicked out of the PNM for the sake of the people, and all his weaklings must follow for blindly taking our great partyu to hell.
Kamla betrayed
COUVA NORTH MP Basdeo Panday and Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath yesterday shocked the nation when they voted against their United National Congress (UNC) parliamentary colleagues on a motion which called Prime Minister Patrick Manning or Cabinet to fire Calder Hart as chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (Udecott).
Panday Saves Hart
Bas, Ramnath block UNC motion on UDeCOTT chairman
Bas, Ramnath scuttle House debate on Hart
“Political tabanca!” That’s how Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday dubbed the actions of her predecessor Basdeo Panday and Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath after both stymied Opposition efforts to obtain Parliamentary debate on UNC’s call for the removal of Udecott head Calder Hart.
Kamla: ‘Political tabanca’ behind senseless act
The ‘political tabanca’ of Basdeo Panday, still smarting from his comprehensive defeat at the UNC elections, was what was responsible for his actions in the Parliament yesterday.
No support from Panday, Ramnath
Kamla motion to remove Hart from State boards
Former Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday said yesterday that his successor, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, failed to consult with him, so he could not lend his support to her when she raised a motion which called for UDeCOTT chairman Calder Hart to be immediately removed from the various positions he holds.
I agree Kian, but you are not dealing with a mature, objective society.
The supporters of the PNM have always viewed their party as a vehicle to advance themselves in T&T. Historically they have made tremendous strides in every area of governance. Just examine the government employment lists of every Ministry and it is quite noticeable that PNM party supporters are embedded in the majority of these plum positions. This dominance extends beyond government positions. The PNM network of contacts reaches into most every facet of society and spreads out like tentacles to embrace the majority of influential positions in the cabinet, judiciary, executive, media and private enterprise. Support for Manning and the PNM is based on the desire to maintain this status quo. All sins will be forgiven for the maintenance of the privileges which are derived from this unqualified support. Manning is fully aware of this loyalty and confident in his decision making no matter how faulty. He is also very skilful at appealing to his constituency in full confidence that the ballot box is a private place and they will do the right thing.
All of this came out before, why are we going over it again? Whose delaying tactics are being used here? Hart’s wife’s former husband , a Trini whose name I do not recall, had all of tis out in the open about two years ago. Will my grandchildren ever see the resolution of this ridiculous situation?
True. But “all of this” was denied by Hart, the Prime Minister and the Minister responsible. The PM referred to Carl Khan, the former husband of Sherrine Hart as “a jilted lover” who invented a story to appease his pain. For a prime minister who flouts the “nihil omnino christo” concept, he sure seems to be embroiled in duplicity and corruption!
Please, like “supporters of the PNM” are the only ones who blindly accede to the dictates of their party. You guys are so pathetically biased that PNM supporters are justifed in taking the opposit position to you every time. Your positions and opinions represent a yardstick of what is most dangerous for them, and what would be in store for them if the Supremacist Hindutava Political organization on the other side gets into power again.
I would advise PNM supporters not to taken in by little eichmans whose agenda they can discern by the crap they post. They have to understand that for these so called pundits and bloggers, positioning them at the bottom of the pyramid is more than a simple political agenda. It represents a sacred stratification of T&T in a manner that confirms with their historical religious and cultural belief system. In other words, they want a visible dalit class, and they made up their minds centuries ago that those who comprise the bulk of PNM support base are emminently qualified to be projected into such class.
Don’t trust these bastards, they don’t mean well by you my brothers and sisters.
What is it that you think the PMN has formed? Most of the PNM supporters are a permanent underclass. When was the last time you visited Piarco? The three forms of power in a society, are Political, Social (population size), and Economic. Who owns the majority of the businesses there? Who are the first faces that visitors see when they come to the country? Who are the faces of poverty that visitors see? The current numbers indicate that the government is on the precipice of change especially if the country is divided along tribal lines.
The best way for the PNM to stay in power is to do right by all of the people in TNT. How is it Us vs. Them in such a small country?
Just because “they” lose doesn’t mean that “we” win and vice versa.
For some reason, it is worse to me to have my brother keep me down than his manifested enemy. Perhaps my brother should elevate my status if he wants me to believe that he is the deliverer of prosperity for the nation.
You say don’t trust these bastards, but with a plethora of examples symbolizing the mismanagement of government, what bastards should we trust? Xenophobia only goes but so far. People want a better lifestyle. The people want some of this wealth that is being unevenly distributed. Unless the PNM creates change that we can believe in, they are at risk for giving their power away.