Narace threatens Gopeesingh

Health Minister Jerry Narace on Thursday threatened Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh, telling the opposition member he could face a fine of half a million dollars and go to jail for knowingly giving false information to the Integrity Commission.

Narace is angry over statements made by Gopeesingh, accusing Narace of using his connections to get untendered contracts for his family's insurance company, Trinre.

Narace is a former director of the company, which is run by his wife.

Gopeesingh wrote to the Integrity commission last month claiming that the company benefited from several State insurance contracts worth millions of dollars since 2006, including one for the Prime Minister’s residence in St Ann’s.

Both Narace and his wife, Rani Lakhan-Narace, have denied accusations of wrongdoing.

“These allegations are false, spurious, irresponsible and clearly an abuse of parliamentary privilege," Lakhan-Narace said earlier this week.

“Trinre has always conducted its business with the highest degree of professionalism and integrity and expects that this will be fully vindicated by any investigation made by the Integrity Commission or any such authority,” she said.

The company confirmed in a news release that "Trinre has never tendered for any state contracts and like all insurance companies wins business through recommendations or brokerage houses.”

And Narace said he is confident that he would be cleared in an any investigation by the Integrity Commission.

But when Narace spoke in the budget debate Thursday he was in a fighting mood, telling Gopeesingh, "“Jail eh nice.”

Under the law, anyone found guilty of providing falseor misleading evidence to the commission could be jailed for ten years and ordered to pay a fine of $500,000.

Narace dared Gopeesingh the make the charges outside the House where he is not protected by parliamentary privilege.

“Go outside and say Trinre got a hundred million dollars’ worth of contracts by using my post as minister and appointing directors and then influencing them. I dare you. I dare you. Do it!” he angrily demanded.

“This is a nasty attack on my family and I am appalled, literally sickened by his attempt to sully my name,” he said.

Narace stated that since his appointment as Minister of Health on November 12, 2007 Trinre has not written insurance with respect to any new client from the State sector. “Further, the Prime Minister’s residence is not insured with Trinre,” he said.

Gopeesingh is not backing. He told reporters later, "We just stated facts.” He said Trinre had been given contracts for reinsurance “by several state agencies” and according to the Integrity in Public Life Act, that is a violation of the law.

He said he has "further particulars” requested by the Integrity Commission, adding that he would also be sending the documents to the Director of Public Prosecutions.