Gopeesingh wants answers from police chief within 2 weeks

Caroni East MP Tim Gopeesingh has written the acting police commissioner asking James Philbert for an update into the status of criminal investigations into several allegations of corruption by various public bodies.

In his letter to Philbert dated Dec. 30, 2009 Gopeesingh noted that he raised a number of matters at various times in correspondence to the police chief and told him he wants responses within two weeks.

"I look forward to your timely response, and I wish to advise that failure to adhere to my requests will result in me examining legal options to get the desired requests," he said.

Here are the matters listed:

• August 7, 2008-Sharman Ottley, Auditor General, requesting an audit into the financial operations at UTT
• September 26, 2008, letter to Integrity Commission and letter dated 2nd October 2008 to DPP requesting probe into allegations of corruption and nepotism by health Minister Jerry Narace with regards to his family owned Trinre
• July 3, 2008, Letter to CoP regarding statements of Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Attorney General John Jeremie on 1st June 2007 and June 12, 2007 respectively, a copy of the report of the Commission of Enquiry into the Health Sector was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Commissioner of Police and the Integrity Commission to launch appropriate investigations where such has been indicated by the Commission
• Letter from the CoP dated January 29, 2009, where he confirmed enquiries were being conducted into financial operations at UTT and an internal investigation about hostile conduct of investigators
• April 9, 2009-Letter to CoP, DPP, for a probe into allegations of corruption levelled by a contractor into EMBD against PM Manning,Karen Nunez –Teshiera, public officials at EMBD, former AG Bridgette Annisette George dealing with bribery, bid rigging and a violation of prevention of corruption act
• Letter to Prime Minister dated 18th May 2009 requesting probe into allegations of corrupt practices by Nidco
• Oct. 26, 2009, Letter to CoP. AG, DPP requesting probe into allegations of nepotism, bid rigging and corruption at Udecott
• Letter of November 13, 2009 to Minister of Finance, Attorney General, COP, DPP- requesting a criminal investigation into whether State companies have been deliberately involved in an Insurance company’s attempt to defraud citizens.

Gopeesingh noted that the commissioner's office has failed "to indicate to me in a timely manner the status of these probes and I hereby request that this status update be forwarded to me with urgency."

He said the allegations contained in all the cited letters "alleged serious acts of corruption and fraud perpetrated against taxpayers and the country in general, which thereby violates all citizens’ Constitutional right to justice and protection by the law

Gopeesingh noted that it is important to know what is happening because billions of taxpayers dollars have allegedly been spent "under circumstances where citizens have expressed their total dissatisfaction and outright protest to these actions".

He added that the funds could have been used to provide proper goods and services for citizens in the form of proper infrastructure, like roads, utilities and proper health care.

"Citizens are therefore being denied their Constitutional rights to proper services by the State as a result of the alleged corrupt practices," he said.