Wednesday, May 11, 2011

King not angry over dismissal, wants Integrity Commission probe

Dismissed Planning Minister Mary King said Tuesday she is not angry over her dismissal from cabinet over allegations that she may have breached the Integrity in Public Life Act by not declaring her personal interest in a company that won a contract from her ministry.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has described the facts surrounding the contract as "inappropriate" and on Tuesday she asked the president to revoke King's cabinet appointment and her appointment to the Senate.

King told CNMG television she wants a full investigation in the matter.

"The Prime Minister has taken a political decision and action. I now have to ensure that my integrity is intact and I am asking the Integrity Commission to do an independent investigation so I can continue my life in this country in a manner in which I have been respected all my life," she told CNMG.

She insisted that she provided all the details of the matter to the Prime Minister. And she said he doesn't understand why Persad-Bissessar did not wait for the Attorney General to fully investigate the matter before firing her.

"I don't know what the Prime Minister and the AG had to investigate. I understood that the Prime Minister had asked the AG to investigate the matter. That was yesterday, and this is today. So it was a quick investigation and that is all I can say on the matter," she said.

AG Ramlogan has confirmed that the Office of the Prime Minister sent the files concerning the controversial website contract to Ixanos Ltd to him in November.

"Having looked at the matter and having considered the papers what were passed to me, I had formed the view that there was no need to take the matter any further because the Minister had represented that she had sufficiently recused herself and removed herself from the process," he said on Tuesday.

He said in spite of the initial review of the documents which led to his decision that Dr King had sufficiently removed herself from the bidding process, he changed his mind upon hearing rumblings on the matter around Easter time. He said that's when he reopened the file and saw what he said were discrepancies.

"I remained unconvinced that the Minister had removed herself sufficiently from the process that led to the award of this contract. The statement given by the Permanent Secretary from the Ministry made serious allegations against the Minister and these allegations would have led to a perception of further involvement and participation on the part of the Minister in the process," he said.

He said the matter has been forwarded to the Integrity Commission.

The leader of the COP, Winston Dookeran, told the media the Prime Minister's views must be respected. However he added that he wished King had more of a chance to give her side of the events.

Ramlogan said King had ample time to state her case.

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Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai