Keith Rowley wants the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to act on public evidence presented at the UFF enquiry in Port of Spain to prosecute executive chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (UDeCOTT) Calder Hart.The former planning and development minister and MP for Diego Martin West made the call at a news conference at his office Thursday.
Prime Minister Patrick Manning fired Rowley from cabinet for allegedly behaving like a "wajang" at a cabinet committee meeting at which he questioned a project being handled by UDeCOTT. But Rowley has insisted that he did not behave in a disorderly manner and was fired only because he challenged the UDeCOTT boss.
The matter caused a national uproar and Manning reluctantly appointed a commission of enquiry into the construction sector and UDeCOTT.
Related: Opposition UNC-A calls for public enquiry of UDeCOTT
Rowley said there is enough evidence for the police and the DPP to take immediate steps to initiate action based on the "the evidence, the sworn testimony that is already in the public domain with respect to possible criminal activities at UDeCOTT as such activities fall under the Prevention of Corruption Act.”
He said the Commissioner of Police and the DPP don't need anyone's permission to act. “All they need is information with respect to the possible breach of the laws to initiate the relevant investigations and to bring persons to account,” he said.
Rowley also told reporters Manning must remove Hart from any activity at UDeCOTT "so that the commission of enquiry can proceed without his interference or obstruction."
UDeCOTT recently filed a pre-action protocol letter to the members of the commission of enquiry threatening legal action against the commissioners if they refuse to step down on the claims of bias.
On Thursday, a High Court judge granted UDeCOTT leave to apply for judicial review in a matter involving the commission. The matter is set for hearing on October 21.
Hearings of the commission are scheduled to resume on September 7.
Rowley called UDeCOTT's legal move "scandalous" and said it is meant to derail the commission of enquiry so that no report will be prepared.
He charged further that "persons who may have questions to answer with respect to their own conduct and the conduct of this enterprise will escape the scrutiny of the Parliament and the public.”
He called it "an outrage that should not be tolerated by the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” adding that what is most worrisome is that UDeCOTT has been receiving all along, "the support and protection of the Prime Minister and certain members of the Cabinet."
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