President summons Annisette

Independent Senator Michael Annisette has confirmed to the Trinidad Express that he had a meeting with President Max Richards.

But the controversial senator did not offer any details of his talks with the head of state. However when the paper asked him if he would be leaving the senate he said he has no knowledge of anything like that.

"I am not aware of that ...That has not been communicated to me," the paper quoted him as saying.

Annisette is a trade unionist and a member of the board of directors of UDeCOTT. He is a strong defender of the state corporation's right to take legal action against the state.

He told the Senate last week the government is out of place to try to prevent UDeCOTT from moving to stop the public inquiry into UDeCOTT and the construction sector.

Read the story: UDeCOTT not squandering money: Annisette

Annisette also made comments about businessman Emile Elias, who has written to the President complaining that the senator was abusing his position to attack him, and his company, NH International. Elias demanded that Annisette be fired.

Read the story: Elias demands Annisette's dismissal from Senate

Some of Annisette's colleagues have also expressed concerns and have reportedly passed on their views to the president.

The major concern expressed about Annisette is that he has been representing his personal interests, which is unusual for an Independent senator. During debates on the budget and the Validation bill to legitimize the Uff inquiry into UDeCOTT, Annisette spoke as a UDeCOTT board member.

The Express quoted an unnamed former Independent Senator as saying: "An Independent Senator does not go to the Senate to represent himself and he has been representing himself and that is a disservice to the institution of independent senatorship."