Baksh alleges PNM handed out $2.3M from public funds prior to election

The new government of Trinidad and Tobago is raising questions about what it says is a $2.3M slush fund that the Manning administration used prior to the May 24 general election.

It claims that $2,330,000 of public money was handed out to more than 500 people in the weeks before the election, and produced documents to prove it.

Community Development Minister Nizam Baksh told the Sunday Guardian the money came from the National Social Development Programme (NSDP) and ranged from $2,000 to $10,000 per person.

"It came just before election and my information is that they had an agent, people were giving out cash and it caused confusion. This was given for election,” he explained to the paper.

Baksh said all the funds were approved by his predecessor Marlene Mc Donald under the heading of "Infrastructural works Grant to Underprivileged."

He said there is nothing specific in any of the documents on the how the beneficiaries were to use the money. The NSDP was allocated $20 million last year and has approximately $4 million remaining.

Baksh told the paper he has no immediate plans to call in the fraud squad to investigate and promised to get further explanations from people who were in charge.
The evidence published in the Guardian shows:

• 11 March-68 people received between $3,000 and $20,000 - Total-$536,000
• 11 March-27 people received between $4,000 and $10,000 - Total-$216,000
• 14 April-88 people received $2,000 - Total-$176,000
• 14 April-47 people received $4,000 to $8000 - Total - $229,000
• 19 April-39 people received $5,000 - Total - $195,000
• 20 April-22 people received $5,000 - Total - $110,000
• 22 April-31 people received $4,000 - Total - $124,000
• 22 April-208 people received $3,000 - Total - $624,000
• 06 May-30 people received $4,000 - Total - $120,000

Baksh also expressed concerns about the procurement process for various projects. He said that from his documents, it seemed contractors were handpicked.

"One of my major concerns right now is the procurement process. If there was anything in place or if Tom, Dick and Harry will issue the approval for these things," he said.

"We want to look at the whole structure and the procurement process, whether the structures were built according to plans,” he said.

Baksh also spoke about cost overruns for some of the community. He cited one ion , which went from $8.28 million to $16.10 million.

Baksh said he was told there were some engineering problems with some of the construction sites such as drainage. “My question was didn’t they know that when they were visiting the site before construction? Sometimes this could be orchestrated,” he said.

The Sunday Guardian said former Community Development Minister refused to comment on the allegations and advised the paper that she will speak about the matter in Parliament.

However he said Baksh should get his facts straight. “He better understand what he is saying. I would have thought that he would have done a comprehensive overhaul and be guided by his Permanent Secretary,” she told the paper.