Calder hart on the Integrity Commission? Don't rule it out says Manning

Prime Minister Patrick Manning told members of Trinidad and Tobago Parliament Thursday that there is the likelihood that Calder Hart could be a member of the country's Integrity Commission.

The revelation came as he and Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj clashed in the House of Representatives.

Maharaj was the first person to raise allegations of corruption against Hart, who is the executive director of UDeCOTT. He fingered Hart about family connections in a business that won a multi-million-dollar construction contract.

The same details were later presented as unchallenged evidence before the Uff commission of inquiry into UDeCOTT and the construction sector.

Manning has always protected Hart and defended him publicly. He even fired senior cabinet Dr Keith Rowley after the Diego martin West MP raised serious concerns about Hart and the operations of UDeCOTT.

The Integrity Commission is the state's integrity watchdog and is appointed by the President. At the present time there is no commission. Last year all five members appointed by the president resigned under a cloud of controversy within days of being appointed.

Read the story: An integrity dilemma in T&T; President can't find anyone to serve

The commission that had been in place prior to that resigned en masse after being censured by a High Court judge for bias in handling its affairs related to an investigation of Rowley.

Speaking in a motion to approve amendments to the Integrity in Public Life Act, Maharaj objected to one amendment proposed by the government which gives the President discretion to remove a commissioner found guilty of misconduct or who was found to be “of unsound mind”.

He argued that such powers would allow the President to allow a commissioner who has failed to act appropriately on a complaint of corruption to remain in place at the commission. “If we have a member of the Integrity Commission who is totally misconducting himself, totally disregarding his duty, then the President would have a discretion to keep that member,” Maharaj noted.

“So if a member of the UDeCOTT board is before the Integrity Commission and on the Integrity Commission there are members there who are totally disregarding their functions...according to this amendment, the President would be given a power in law for that member of the commission to remain there," he added.

He wanted to know if the amendment was drafted in order to protect Hart. It was during the exchange that followed between the two men that Manning said it's possible that Hart could be a member of the commission.

Maharaj: “I know the Prime Minister can do a lot of things but I don’t think that he’ll want to do that; to put Calder Hart on the Integrity Commission.” Manning: “Don’t rule it out! Don’t rule it out!” Manning’s administration is under fire from opposition members who have accused the Government of pushing through amendments to make it easier for public officials to get away with sleaze.

The opposition voices didn't matter. The government passed the amendments using its strong majority.