Former Trinidad and Tobago Senator and Attorney at law Robin Montano has written to the chair of Transparency International (TI) in Berlin asking for an investigation of the local chapter to determine if the local chapter, TTTI, has been acting in accordance with the rules of transparency and fairness."An organisation such as Transparency International, in order to be truly effective, must at all times be like Caesar’s wife cleaner than clean. Even a shadow...(can make) any pronouncements by TI potentially suspect or open to undesirable criticism," he wrote in his letter to Huguette Labelle, dated October 14.
He said he is concerned about possible conflicts of interest involving members of the local chapter, which is why he asking for an investigation into the conduct, deliberations and actions of certain members of the board "especially in relation to a lot of their statements and actions relating to the recent Commission of Enquiry into the Construction Sector and UDeCOTT.”
He said there are also clearly identifiable conflicts of interest between certain persons involved in the inquiry and members of the Board of TTTI and suggests that the public may lose confidence in TTTI “and view it as an avenue for advocating and supporting the views of certain individuals with their own political and or economic issues with the current Government.”
Montano drew a connection between TTTI chairman Victor Hart, and Emile Elias and Keith Rowley. He said Hart has made submissions to the Uff inquiry without disclosing these connections, which include his personal and professional relationship between both men.
He said Hart’s company, Hart and Leonard, has worked on a number of projects with Elias and his construction company, NHIC. In addition, he said a director of Hart’s company, lawyer Margaret Rose, has appeared for Rowley on several matter including the investigation into the Scarborough Hospital and the Landate affair.
The former Senator also said Elias has made a number of donations to the local Chapter of Transparency International and the offices of TTTI “are leased from a company called E&H Enterprises Ltd., a company owned by Mr. Elias.”
Montano said Hart attempted to defend NH International when it was being investigated in 2004 by a Commission of Enquiry into the construction of the Scarborough General Hospital and has not commented on the findings of that probe although he has been highly critical of the UDeCOTT inquiry.
He said the inquiry into the Scarborough hospital recommended a police investigation but so far that has not happened and Hart has been silent on that issue.
“To date, neither TTTI nor Mr. Hart is on record (to the best of my knowledge) as requiring or requesting that this matter be investigated properly. Most certainly, when I made a public call on the Prime Minister in July 2009 to do something about this TTTI’s silence on the issue was notable!” Montano said.
Montano is asking for a probe to determine whether the local TTTI board approved the various submissions and public statements made to the UDeCOTT probe and whether TTTI members approved the submissions.
He also wants to know if Transparency International “is in support of, condones and stands behind the conduct and positions adopted by the Local Chapter.” And he is asking the international president to advise what she proposes to do about the situation and whether she would “condemn them publicly”.
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