The appointment of Minister and Senator Mrs. Mary King was revoked, today, 10th May, 2010 by the President, His Excellency George Maxwell Richards on advice of the Prime Minister. Mrs. King held the portfolio of Senator and Minister of Planning, Economic and Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs from May 28th, 2010.
KING FALLS
PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday fired Mary King as Planning Minister and a government senator after being advised by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan that a serious conflict of interest had arisen with respect to the award of a $100,000 contract for website development at the Planning Ministry to Ixanos Limited, a company with ties to King and her husband.
FIRED!
MARY KING’S ministerial and senatorial appointments have been revoked by President George Maxwell Richards.
‘Improper’ King fired
Two weeks short of The PP’s Government’s first year in office, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday fired Planning Economic and Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs Minister Mary Kathleen King for “acting improperly” in the issue of a contract award.
Bharath: The PM won’t rejoice
Agriculture Minister Vasant Bharath said the firing of Planning Minister Mary King was “extremely regrettable.”
Transparency welcomes PM’s ‘prompt action’
Jack sorry for Mary
WORKS and Transport Minister Jack Warner, who on Monday defended Mary King as “incorruptible”, yesterday said while he feels sorry for her, he fully supports Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s decision to revoke King’s Senatorial and Cabinet appointments.
Khan: PM had no choice
Dr Mary King’s sacking was expected and it was one in which Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had no choice but to carry it out.
Mary calls for an independent probe
FIRED government senator and minister Mary King wants an independent investigation to be conducted on her behalf.
Probe Mary King fiasco
The Congress of the People (COP) to which former minister Mary King belongs has called for the Integrity Commission to intervene and launch a full investigation into King’s alleged wrongdoing.
Ramlogan: Website contract under review since Nov
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan had been looking at documentation in relation to the award of the website contract to Ixanos, a company owned by former Planning Minister Mary King’s family, since December last year when it was first passed it to him for advice.
It’s disturbing says Dick-Forde
AG: Case made out against King
Clear my name
King writes Integrity Commission
Statement from King family ‘later today’
She should have had her say—Dookeran
Congress of the People (COP) leader and Minister of Finance Winston Dookeran said he would have preferred if Planning Minister Mary King “had her say” before she was fired by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Dookeran: A sad day
Finance Minister and Congress of the People (COP) Political Leader Winston Dookeran said yesterday it was a rather sad day when a minister is fired.
‘Integrity Commission probe is necessary’
The firing of Mary King from the People’s Partnership Government is not something the Congress of the People (COP) is proud of, says party chairman Joseph Toney.
Panday: PM right but jury still out on some aspects
PNM: We told you so
The walls of the PP Government’s Jericho are tumbling down, says PNM Senator Fitzgerald Hinds.
Chamber: Transparency must prevail
Misplaced trust: What a bitter pill
Hardly a tear would have been shed over the falling of the axe yesterday on Planning Minister Mary King, who inexplicably committed such rudimentary errors as to render her manifestly unfit for office.
When ethics matter
Sir George Adrian Hayhurst Cadbury, former chairman of Cadbury and pioneer in the field of corporate governance once said “Shelving hard decisions is the least ethical course.” Today we commend the Prime Minister for her moral fortitude
Kamla picks Bhoe Tewarie to replace Mary
Pro-Vice Chancellor, Planning and Development, of the University of the West Indies Dr Bhoendratt Tewarie is to be this country’s new Minister of Planning, Economic, Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs.
I am sure Ex Sen. Mary King is as incorruptible as Jack Warner claims for himself. I saw the Parliamentary Testimony (London) about FIFA yesterday. Go to BBC.com and listen to the former president of FA speak. He had a witness.An endorsement by Warner is poison at this point.
I do say, however, that it must be very difficult to remain honest and remain in politics. Too many relatives and friends come to you with their hands open, expecting largesse. In a country where the entire Integrity Commission was forced to resign over their own corrupt behaviour, it maybe very difficult to find people who want to serve simply for the blessing of charting a course for our beloved country.
Reshmi-gate, Nizam-Gate and now King-gate. Is Warner-gate next?
Jack made his money outside of T&T he did not take any money from T&T. In fact he is donating his entire salary for a year to assist the Baptist in building a cathedral. The FIFA business does have it’s ins and outs, but it has taught Jack to be a shrew politician, he knows how to get things done. He is the best performing politician currently. Linda I think in your old age you just plain jealous of this successful black man.
Of course these are the diverse people the PP will draw into its fold. It is their predisposition for corruption that nakes them recruitable by the PP
Good move by the Prime Minister. She had actionable evidence provided by the AG. It is the right thing to do. The PNM operated by a diffrent set of rules former PM Manning hired his wife and gave her a lucrative position. In addition CEPEP contracts were given by Rowley to family members and friends. Further to all of that there was no level of accountability.
It is good today to see a decisive level of governance. Getting rid of corruption is the key to good governance. Thankfully the corrupt PNM is not in power.
“Manning hired his wife and gave her a lucrative position.” Excellent point mammoo,but don’t forget Manning’s nepotistic political rival ,Basdeo Panday ,with his wet behind the ears ,half drunk daughter,and brain dead brother, yes? You did not believe that these two bozos, got their positions in life , and or opportunities in Parliament,on their own merits now, did you?
“Getting rid of corruption is the key to good governance.” Once more you are spot on , but asking the PP crew to lead the charge on this front, is tantamount to naively expecting an ‘egg sucking dogs,’to guard the hen house.
It just ain’t happening my friend. Remember the story of the scorpion who sank his fangs into the back of a frog that was transporting him across the river, then when requested as to the reason for such stupidity ,since due to his folly,both was expected to die, he claimed – it was his nature?
Some much smarter than myself , might point to that culturally laden predilection ,that seems most prevalent in the souls of a certain unmentionable segment of our society- an obvious left over from the motherland maybe, hmmmmm?
Many of us will applaud the PM for ‘clipping the wings’ of another of dem privileged post colonial elites -such as sistaz King-that has successfully survived dominant political majority stewardships for too long since 62.
We however would be looking quite closely to see however, if the same fervor would be used to ‘chop down to size,’those much closer to home ,when the time inevitably comes- as sure as the night follows the day.
Neal it seems as though you, cro cro, sugar aloes and other die hard PNMites still have the Panday tabanca in your system. Well let me remind you Panday built 32 schools, a brand new airport, paved roads across the nation but at times was indecisive in fighting corruption, that eventually result in his party falling from power. Prime Minister Kamla is no Panday, she was the first female AG in T&T and the first female Prime Minister. Her level of intelligence exceeds that of Panday.
So go and eat your bake and salfish in Laventy and behave yourself. Your party not in charge.
Get it right brother Mammoo. Your Basdeo Panday was the epitome of corruption, cronyism , nepotism , and failed , ineffective , government. In addition ,he like you ,and similar neo tribal creatures , was an ungrateful , clannish,divisive , and self serving individual, who forgot that he was part of a multiracial, multi ethnic country.
The major difference between this life time drunkard, and Madame K, has nothing whatsoever to do with here gender, or intelligence my friend, but simply the fact that she recognizes for the time being, how she got power, as well as the reasons, and most importantly ,what mistakes to avoid , so as to hold on to it.
I know you fools keep underestimating the FIFA king, and Queen maker Uncle Jack , but do so to your peril. For the record, I could give a hoot about the jokers that dominated the PNM from 1956 to present, as they have historically rode the backs of Afrikans , while doing the limbo dance of appeasement to other fringe groups ,that remained detrimental to the overall good of our country.
Enjoy the ride while it last my friend, but just remember that Uncle Jack is no Sistaz King, for he will take the whole banana leaf political hut, down the Caroni river, if need be,or forced.
Long live Uncle Jack! We just admire his patience mamook, and so should you – for the time.
Ahhhh, the game of political chess!
Can’t expect a borderline illiterates, such as mamoo, to appreciate the delicate intricacies of same. Not if he is looking at comedians such as Croco, Sugar Aloes, and similar musical artist, to build his case.
Neal wrote “Get it right brother Mammoo. Your Basdeo Panday was the epitome of corruption, cronyism , nepotism , and failed , ineffective , government. In addition ,he like you ,and similar neo tribal creatures , was an ungrateful , clannish,divisive , and self serving individual, who forgot that he was part of a multiracial, multi ethnic country.”
You just proved my point you still have the Panday tabanca in you. When the government was stolen from Bas, the murder rate was 95, when the PP won from the PNM (your favorite party) the murder rate stood at over 500. So who was the better PM. Of course Patos…according to you and your tribal minions, hmmmm
PS TELLS AG: KING’S SON EMAILS FOR NEW WORK
Stephen King, the son of fired Planning Minister Mary King, requested more work from the ministry even though a company with links to the King family already had a $100,000 contract to build a website for the ministry, the permanent secretary (PS) has informed Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.
I was shocked
King’s Permanent Secretary reveals how the award of the Ixanos contract went down:
PS on protocol advice given to Mary King: Minister became angry with me
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Tuesday fired former Planning Economic and Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs Minister Mary King, regarding “improper action” in a contract awarded from the Planning Ministry to a King family firm named Ixanos Ltd. Following is the statement of the ministry’s permanent secretary Juliana Boodram-John to the Attorney General on the issue.
‘She was in the habit of wanting to know everything’
Global integrity group backs fired minister
PM: I had to protect Govt
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said yesterday that she disagreed with former government minister Mary King’s argument that an independent investigation by the Integrity Commission should have been conducted before she was fired.
I had to act swiftly
PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday defended her decision to revoke the senatorial and ministerial portfolios of Mary King, the former Planning Minister, because of a need to, “protect the integrity of the Government.”
Rowley: When did Kamla know?
Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley said yesterday that Government had tried to cover up Mary King’s transgressions but was forced to take action after the matter was “comprehensively exposed by the Express”.
PM: I acted as soon as I could
Mayers, Montano battle over Mary’s firing
“I think it would be difficult to escape that. The COP has been tarnished…and it is a fact that it is a sad day because I don’t think anybody would have expected somebody of the stature of Ms King to be involved in anything resembling a conflict of interest,” said Mayers.
Whole truth on King affair, please
The Mary King lesson
Until the events chronicled in the Attorney General’s shocking report published yesterday, nobody had assumed that the former Planning Minister lacked for such knowledge as would heighten consciousness of the peril of conflict of interest. But as it turns out, the case of the fallen Mary King may be a textbook example of what not to do.
Tewarie vows to make fresh start in new post
Government Minister Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie said yesterday he does not bring any baggage with him in his new role as Minister of Planning, Economic Restructuring and Gender Affairs.
‘I have mixed feelings’
NEWLY appointed Minister of Planning, Economic and Social Restructuring Dr Bhoe Tewarie yesterday revealed that even before the collapse of Clico and its current financial crisis, he had “conversations” with “the Governor of the Central Bank” over CL Financial in his capacity as a CLF director.
Has anyone checked Dr. Tiwarie’s position on that section of his new portfolio called “Gender Affairs”?How does he truly feel about the equality of women and the right of all people to participate fully in nationl life?
If this had to go to a man, I would have preferred David Abdullah, whose long track record as a union man says a lot about a willingness to work for equality, much more so than an ex principal of the university.
We’ll see.
From here on in, can we have a “declaration of assets and business interests” before someone takes up a position that would require disbursements from the public purse? Can this be a pre-reuisite for All ministerial appointments?
I would have preferred a donkey with good braying abilities. Unfortunately, since Eric died all donkies died also. Steups, I am going to have to settle for Dr. Tewarie.
Integrity Commission starts King probe
The Integrity Commission has started investigating the Ixanos contract award issue concerning former Planning Minister Mary King, it was confirmed yesterday.
Integrity Commission to meet King
THE Integrity Commission will meet with former Planning Minister Mary King as part of its investigation into the award of a $100,000 contract for website development for the ministry to Ixanos Limited, a company in which King and her husband Dr St Clair King are principal shareholders.
Stubborn King
FIVE MONTHS after entering office as the Planning Minister in 2010, Mary King was accused of “stubborn disregard” for “clearly documented laws, rules and company policies” at the billion- dollar special purpose State enterprise Udecott by its chairman Jearlean John.
Mary’s Many Moves
Former government minister Mary King has left many unanswered questions with respect to decisions she took during her tenure as Minister of Planning, Economic Restructuring and Gender Affairs.
Jearlean fires Mary King’s UDeCOTT project director
URBAN Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) chairman Jearlean John said yesterday that she was surprised that former minister Mary King ignored the by-laws of the State enterprise and hired a project director without following due process.
Crichlow seeks legal advice over dismissal
Former UDeCOTT project director Kenneth Crichlow said last night that he is seeking legal advice on his firing from the state enterprise.
Questions needing answers
Quite simply, what exactly has happened over the past six months to change the mind of the Government and specifically Attorney-General Anand Ramlogan, as to whether or not Mrs King breached integrity principles when her firm tendered for a contract to build the Ministry’s web-site?
Mamoo, now, the Brit who complaind about JAck Warner’s asking for a bribe, prhaps did t say much about the BAE scandal involvin aircrat for SAudi Arabia. The Indian originated man convicted in New Yorrk for Insider Trading, id not make most of his money in India.
Should the govenment of India welcome his inestments of corrup money?
When you say “Jack Warner Made his money outside TNT”, I say “true”. FIFA officials have apparently been on the take for quite some time. Dirty money is dirty money, and kissing babies and financing politicl parties cannot make it clean.
Your explanations and excuses for action are on the thought level of a primary school pupil.
People who are known to be corrupt anywhere, should never be allowed to serve the public in any country in a position of trust. Fiduciary trust, in awarding contracts etc. is especially important.
The Brits never really like black people (anybody who is not white), so I fail to see your point. Linda wrote “Dirty money, is dirty money”- the FBI found that almost all American money have traces of cocaine, I am sure you have used that dirty money to pay bills, buy food etc. Not realising that the same money that you used was being use to purchase drugs and paying pimps who destroyed the brothers and their families in the ghettoes. Enough to make someone with a conscience cry. If you don’t feel guilty Linda of using American dirty money shame on you. And you are being hypocritical.
As for the allegations against Jack it is no different that the ones African Americans were making in 1960’s. That is the food in America have chemicals to kill black people only. I say prove it Linda. Anybody can say anything, it is only the gullible believe it. Are you gullible???
Torn between two women
RICHARD FREEMAN, the former legal officer of the Urban Development Corporation (Udecott) who followed a directive from former planning minister Mary King, to create a $52,000 per month post in the absence of a board, yesterday broke his silence on the matter saying he trusted King and was caught between two masters — King the minister and Udecott chairman, Jearlean John.
Ghost of Hart’s Udecott
The “ghost” of Calder Hart’s UDECOTT made an appearance on Thursday, when it emerged publicly that Mary King, who was dismissed two days earlier as Minister of Planning and ipso facto as line Minister of Udecott, had approved the appointment of a Project Director, Special Projects and Business Development, for the State owned company without reference to the Board’s Chairman, Jearlean John, or a duly constituted Board being in place.
Kamla aware of Mary King issues
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said yesterday that she was aware of all the issues or concerns that were raised against former government minister Mark King.
…Govt acted swiftly on King
‘There’s Something About Mary’ — Trini style
But as Mary’s pedestal cracked and crumbled, the AG continued to weaken under the weight of public and private opinion, his gate pass to Mary running contrary to his brutal work ethic and a reputation for knowing that the devil is in the details.
The Brits never really like black people
We are not particularly liked in India either. I would argue that racial antipathy against black people is more virulent in India than it is in the UK today. I doubt of black chearleaders would get the kind of reception they did in India, if they the occasion was in the UK or some other European nation. What is different between Indian cricket spectators calling an Australian black player a monkey and fottball hooligans in Europe doing the same to black soccer players.
You need to do begin your examination at home before pointing fingers askance. That is the problem with you hypocrites. You worship at the alter of a Bollywood like mindset, but are quick to point fingers at others. You ain’t no better than them, when it comes to inherited anti black prejudice.
Gayle is a hero in India. He is one of the most popular players in the IPL.
Please avoid your narrow generalizations.
King: My dismissal was ‘undemocratic’
Former minister Mary King has suggested that her dismissal from the Cabinet was “undemocratic”.
King promises to challenge firing
‘King’s firing is healthy democracy’
Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) leader Ashworth Jack said the firing of former Minister Mary King and all the current questions surrounding the award of a contract are part of a healthy democracy.