Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira has accused Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar of hypocrisy for calling for the resignation of all members of the board of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT).
Persad-Bissessar had brought the matter to the House of Representattives for debate Friday and Nunez-Teshiera was speaking in her capacity as Corporation Sole.
She said the UNC leader has double standards, noting that when Couva North MP Basdeo Panday was charged with failing to declare a London bank account, she defended Panday.
"Let me bring home the hypocrisy...Couva North was charged, is charged...He was not only charged, he was convicted and he went all the way to the Appeal Court and...a retrial was ordered...not on the substance of the case but the process...apparent bias’," Nunez-Tesheira stated.
She said Persad-Bissessar did not demand Panday's resignation when he was charged, yet she wants all UDeCOTT directors to go when "there is no evidence, no charges, nothing of that nature, nothing before the court."
Persad-Bissessar's contention is that according to the Company’s Act directors have certain obligations and are accountable to shareholders for decisions which are unlawful, illegal and in breach of fiduciary duties.
She said there is a clear argument that the directors breached their duty in allowing the award of a contract to a company with a family interest to former UDeCOTT executive chairman Calder Hart.
"They have not been found guilty in a court of law but given the circumstances, it is incumbent upon them and the duty they have to the shareholder...the taxpayers of this country - that they should resign in all the circumstances," Persad-Bissessar said.
She said since a criminal investigation is being undertaken, it is ridiculous to leave the directors in place.
Persad-Bissessar had brought the matter to the House of Representattives for debate Friday and Nunez-Teshiera was speaking in her capacity as Corporation Sole.
She said the UNC leader has double standards, noting that when Couva North MP Basdeo Panday was charged with failing to declare a London bank account, she defended Panday.
"Let me bring home the hypocrisy...Couva North was charged, is charged...He was not only charged, he was convicted and he went all the way to the Appeal Court and...a retrial was ordered...not on the substance of the case but the process...apparent bias’," Nunez-Tesheira stated.
She said Persad-Bissessar did not demand Panday's resignation when he was charged, yet she wants all UDeCOTT directors to go when "there is no evidence, no charges, nothing of that nature, nothing before the court."
Persad-Bissessar's contention is that according to the Company’s Act directors have certain obligations and are accountable to shareholders for decisions which are unlawful, illegal and in breach of fiduciary duties.
She said there is a clear argument that the directors breached their duty in allowing the award of a contract to a company with a family interest to former UDeCOTT executive chairman Calder Hart.
"They have not been found guilty in a court of law but given the circumstances, it is incumbent upon them and the duty they have to the shareholder...the taxpayers of this country - that they should resign in all the circumstances," Persad-Bissessar said.
She said since a criminal investigation is being undertaken, it is ridiculous to leave the directors in place.
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