Rowley pleased with Uff report, says no need for him to quit politics

Keith Rowley says he is now certain that there is no justification for him to leave politics.

The former cabinet minister made the comment in reaction to the report of the Uff commission of inquiry into UDeCOTT and the construction sector, which exonerated him from any blame relating to the government's Cleaver Heights Housing project in Arima.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning had suggested that Rowley should explain how there was a missing $10 million but the inquiry found that no money was ever missing and that there might have been some deliberate manipulation of documents at the housing agency to give the impression of a discrepancy.

Read the story: Uff report recommends probe of Calder hart, UDeCOTT

Rowley had put his political career on the line when he demanded a probe into UDeCOTT, saying he would leave politics if the Uff Report found nothing wrong with the operations of UDeCOTT and Calder Hart.

The report recommended, among other things, a police investigation of the state agency and its former executive chairman along with other members of the board.

Speaking with the Trinidad Express, Rowley said from what he has read of the report there is noting that would suggest that it is time for him to leave politics.

"It would appear that the commission has confirmed that there was no basis to impute my character over Cleaver Heights. And I am very satisfied with that. Not that I was expecting anything else," he said.

"There is a certain amount of hurt and pain that went with this whole Cleaver Heights thing. And I am pleased to know that in the finding of a Commission of Enquiry which thoroughly examined it, that the attempt to sully my character has once again failed," he added.

Rowley said if the government follows the recommendations of the commission there would be considerable improvement in the improvement of the country, noting that the commission has clearly identified a number of serious wrongdoing and possible major criminal conduct.

"It is now left to hold people accountable for their involvement in these matters," he said.