Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Letter: Mary King least qualified to talk

Mary King has tremendous audacity and gall to point fingers calling anyone corrupt.
Has she forgotten she was fired in May 2011 as Minister of Planning, Economic & Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs because she omitted to declare her financial and family interest as the listed Corporate Secretary and joint shareholder in a company owned by her husband and son that was awarded a $100,000 website development contract for the ministry in which she was Minister?

Has this paragon of virtue forgotten that the Integrity Commission found prima facie evidence to suggest that she had breached the Integrity in Public Life Act by failing in her obligations and duties to the effect that she could have influenced the bid; that she tried to chair the Tenders Committee - something that would have been improper; she put herself in the room for the opening of the bids against he advice of the Permanent Secretary; there was absolute flouting of the Ministry of Finance Guidelines for treating with tenders; she participated in a meeting of the evaluations committee where she ought not to have been in the first place; and also failed to disclose her interest in her family's business when the company's tender was discussed by the evaluations committee? 

What is worst is that even after her own admissions and the findings of the Integrity Commission, Ms King continued to insist that what she did was right and beyond scrutiny.
Well we, the public, are not as delusional as she is, neither have we forgotten her tabanca-laced threat to campaign for the fall of the People's Partnership.
So its no surprise to see that Ms King is once again spewing venom at her former boss, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and calling for the head of National Security Minister Jack Warner as she did last week. Whereas Mr Warner has allegations against him, where Ms King is concerned, there is compelling proof.
The Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, of which Ms King claims to be the Secretary, needs to note that Ms King is no longer a Member of Parliament and it is improper for her to purport herself as one; and Ms King's conduct has severely undermined her credibility, integrity and objectivity.
Mary King therefore is the least qualified person to lead any anti-corruption campaign or organization. She no moral authority to castigate or condemn anyone about transparency and accountability until she comes to accept her own transgressions.

Michelle Baptiste | San Juan, via email

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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