Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Patrick Manning has confirmed that his attorney general is quitting. A government statement says Bridgid Annisette-George may have a conflict of interest in the CLICO affair and asked to be relieved of the job.Manning confirmed that former Attorney General John Jeremie will replace her.
In an immediate response opposition leader Basdeo Panday said he finds the the reasons given as being very unsatisfactory.
"If the AG had a conflict of interest in a single matter she could have easily recused herself from advising on that matter. She need not have resigned her entire portfolio," the former prime minister said in a news release.
Panday reiterated an earlier comment (see story below) in which he suggested that Manning is bringing back Jeremie because he has a better working relationship with his former attorney general and because Jeremie will carry out Manning's wishes.
The opposition has been clamouring for the removal of Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Teshiera over allegations of conflict of interest in the CLICO matter. Former Attorney General Kamla Persad-Bissessar has argued that Nunez-Teshiera was a million-dollar shareholder in the company while she was negotiating a government bailout package for CLICO.
The minister did not reveal her connections to the insurance company and the opposition claims that she did not declare her shareholding to the Integrity Commission as required by law.
Related: DPP to probe finance minister: Kamla
Manning has said he has full confidence in his finance minister.
No comments:
Post a Comment