When Patrick Manning interrupted Tabaquite MP Ramesh Maharaj during a debate on the validation bill in Parliament Monday he declared, "I am determined to stay out of a lot of the ole talk that is going on in this matter."And he insisted that it was bad behaviour on Keith Rolwley's part that caused him to kick out the Diego Martin West MP from cabinet.
"Nobody was fired from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Nobody was fired because of any position that they took because of UDeCOTT. That is mischief in the extreme!" Manning said.
By Maharaj was not intimidated on stopped because of Manning's intervention.
"The behaviour which was described as “wajang” was behaviour for exposing corruption at UDeCOTT. This is not “ole talk”. This is where it’s people’s monies are allegedly being given to public officials. How could the Honourable Prime Minister say this is ole talk?” Maharaj responded.
He said he unconditionally supports the bill to validate the Uff inquiry into UDeCOTT and the construction sector because he wants to ensure that official corruption is stamped out.
But he also slammed Manning for trying to create the impression that there was nothing wrong at UDeCOTT.
And he said despite all the damning evidence presented so far against UDeCOTT the agency still has the full support of the prime minister and the Cabinet who continue to "hold hands" with UDeCOTT execuitve chairman Calder Hart in public.
He reminded the House that it was he who first raised allegations about Hart’s relatives being directors of CH Development, which was awarded a $368 million contract to build the Legal Affairs Tower.
"I want Mrs Sherrine Hart to...give evidence," he said said adding that evidence given by her ex-husband, Carl Khan, suggested that her brother and brother-in-law were directors of the company.
Maharaj said Mrs Hart must respond to Khan’s claims before the Commission, such as why the fax number on documents belonging to CH was the same as the fax number at the Hart’s home in Cascade.
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