Jack Warner was on the attack Wednesday night at a political meeting in Palmiste Park in the San Fernando West constituency, training his guns on Public Administration Minister Kennedy Swaratsingh.The UNC chairman was following up on statements about Swaratsingh that he made a day earlier in St Joseph where Swaratsingh is in a fight with former High Court Justice Herbert Volney for Monday's general election in Trinidad and Tobago.
Swaratsingh is a former priest and was the MP for St Joseph from November 2007. On Tuesday night in St Joseph Warner asked Swaratsingh to state publicly why he left the priesthood and the asked the question again on Wednesday.
He suggested that there might have been sexual impropriety but did not make any specific accusations. However he stated that if Swaratsingh doesn't provide answers to that question and others about his financial affairs he will reveal all on Saturday.
With respect to the minister's finances, Warner alleged that there is something suspicious about Swaratsingh's sudden wealth after being in Parliament and cabinet for just over two years.
He said when Swaratsingh became the MP for St Joseph he was was living in a home valued at $1.5 million (TT) and owned a Hyundai SUV that cost $200,000 (TT).
However four months after that in March 2008 Swaratsingh moved to a $7.5 million (TT) home in Moka, one of the country's most exclusive neighbourhoods.
He also charged that the minister received a full refund of the stamp duty of more that $200,000 paid in the real estate transaction.
He said in addition Swaratsingh now has a fleet of expensive vehicles including a Volkwagen Tourag SUV, a Toyota Prado SUV and a BMW X5 SUV. Warner did not put a value on the vehicles. Using North American values, the vehicles would cost over $1 million (TT) if they were purchased new.
Warner also alleged that Swaratsingh has a credit card that has no credit limit and that "a third party" has been paying the bills for the minister.
He charged that the monthly amounts charged on the card ranged from a low of $20,000 to a high of $45,000. He said he has the paper trail to prove his allegation and challenged Swaratsingh to sue him.
In response, Swaratsingh said he would respond on Thursday night. And he said he is not afraid of being investigated by the Integrity Commission.
The Indo Trinbago Equality Council (ITEC) has written the Commission asking for an investigation of the charges made by Warner.
The ITEC has written to the Integrity Commission lodging a formal complaint against the Public Administration Minister.
ITEC has produced documentation to show that Swaratsingh and his wife, Denise, took out a deed of mortgage with RBTT for a property in D’Abadie in March 2007.
By June 2008, Swaratsingh paid off the mortgage and received a deed of release from the bank.
"Prior to his involvement in public life Mr. Swaratsingh was a Roman Catholic priest, a soldier in the Defence Force and the Chief Executive Officer of Government’s Human Resource Services Co Ltd.
"Yet ITEC is in possession of documents which indicate that a mere eleven months after assuming office Mr Swaratsingh has interests in a company called #39 Orchard Ltd which paid off for a property located in the similarly named location of #39 The Orchard, Moka, Maraval, for the sum of five million three hundred thousand dollars," the letter stated.
In a media release Swaratsingh "categorically refuted" the charges made against him and rejected what he called the character assassination being employed by the UNC "and its surrogates in an attempt to revive what is clearly a failing attempt to wrest the constituency of St Joseph away from the PNM".
Swaratsingh called the circulation of the deed to a home belonging to his extended family a "vain attempt to somehow conjure up evidence of wrong-doing".
The statement added, "The Minister and his wife are both professionals who have been gainfully employed over the last 20 years, and given the family support they both enjoy, can quite easily enjoy the home in which they live even at the inflated prices quoted in the misinformation being circulated to the media."
It added that the issue is "nothing but a desperate, last ditch attempt to rescue the failing candidacy of Herbert Volney."
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