The deal between UDeCOTT and the UFF Commission of Enquiry into UDeCOTT and the Construction Sector that the government's PR machine has been trumpeting as evidence of the Manning administration's commitment to supporting the probe has not impressed The Trinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (TTTI).Read the story: Legal truce puts Uff probe back on track
The watchdog group is accusing UDeCOTT of holding the inquiry "hostage".
Chairman Victor Hart issued a statement Saturday noting that UDeCOTT's agreement to a modification of the High Court Order that suspended the probe to allow a partial resumption of proceedings does not go far enough.
Hart calls Attorney General John Jeremie "one of the dwindling minority of citizens" who is "happy" about this latest development.
"It is unacceptable that UDeCOTT continues to hold the enquiry hostage by requiring 28 days' notice before any further hearing or the submission of its report to the President," Hart said.
"The President has a right to receive a report as stated in his mandate to the commissioners, an order that did not say anything about the commissioners first having to get UDeCOTT's permission," he added.
Hart said the "people have a right to know the outcome of the enquiry set up in their name and costing them tens of millions of dollars. All unbiased observers are amazed that government is allowing the tail to wag the dog," he declared.
"Why is UDeCOTT allowed to spend taxpayers' money to fight a...taxpayers-funded enquiry? Where is the voice of corporation sole, the Minister of Finance, or UDeCOTT's line minister in all of this?" he asked.
He also suggested that the government needs to answer why it has not fired the UDeCOTT board and have the legal challenges to the enquiry withdrawn "so as to bring an end to citizens' distress and embarrassment over this matter."
The TTTI urged citizens to demand that their leaders listen to their raised voices on this important issue.
A consent agreement on Oct. 2 between lawyers from UDeCOTT and the commission had put the inquiry on hold and prohibited commissioners from preparing a report based on evidence presented so far until a court hearing in February, 2010.
On Friday lawyers met with a high court judge and amended the order to bring forward trhe court date to January and lift restrictions on hearings and the prepation of a report. However the deal was on condition that UDeCOTT get 28 days notice prior to this and that it reserved the right to challenge the inquiry.
UDeCOTT is seeking a review of the decision of the commission to continue hearings even though the enquiry was not gazetted and it is claiming bias against former commissioner Israel Khan and present commissioner Kenneth Sirju.
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