By Aicia Chamely
SENATOR Faris Al-Rawi is pushing back at allegations that he pressured Community Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) CEO Keith Eddy to renew contracts without cabinet approval.
He is also calling on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to talk about the Life Sport debacle that took place under administration between 2010-2015.
Speaking at an Opposition press conference on Tuesday at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Port of Spain, Al-Rawi said, as the minister, he was never involved in the renewal of contracts.
He said, “Let me state plainly that I, certainly as the last minister that served with responsibility for CEPEP, never spoke to the renewal of en masse contracts.”
Al Rawi said, “I did, together with the Minister of Finance Vishnu Dhanpaul, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Suzette Lee Chee, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government,Mr Peter Mitchell speak to the funding for 12 CEPEP contractors.”
In an affidavit submitted in defence of CEPEP in an ongoing case brought by Eastman Enterprises Ltd, Eddy stated he faced “intense pressure” from former minister of rural development and local government Al-Rawi and other officials to extend the contracts and add new contractors without cabinet approval.
Al-Rawi has denied this, he also stated CEPEP had approved the renewal of contracts without cabinet approval in the past and that this was historically common in the programme.
At Monday’s Extraordinary Sitting of Parliament at the Red House, Port of Spain, Prime Minister Kalma Persad-Bissessar spoke of rampant “criminality” that occurred at CEPEP under the previous administration.
Persad-Bissessar accused CEPEP of “becoming a runaway horse, funding criminal activity, under that (the People’s National Movement) administration.”
Adding, “The programme has been used to fund political activities through contractors and to feed organised crime elements.”
Addressing the allegations made by Eddy and the audits being done by the government into CEPEP, she said, “Today, the chickens have come home to roost, as there are now claims by the CEO of CEPEP, on affidavit, that active politicians who were once in this position pressured CEPEP to sign off on $1.4 billion in extended contracts to contractors.”
Responding to Persad-Bissessar, Al Rawi said,“Mrs Persad-Bissessar is talking about criminality, when days ago the Life Sport criminality came back up. The State of Emergency involves the transportation of Rajaee Ali of Life Sport fame, from building 13 to another undisclosed place.”
Al-Rawi said, “I want to hear Mrs Persad-Bissessar talk about Life Sport, Rajaee Ali, the judgment in the Life Sport matter and Mr Roberts.”
Regarding the court matter between the government and CEPEP contactor, Al-Rawi took issue with the government’s choice of council, Anand Ramlogan, SC, and warned the public, “sometimes you have to watch who is bringing the message.”
Taking aim at Ramlogan, Al-Rawi said during his tenure as Attorney General (AG), the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) approached him several times to provide written statements on Ramlogan for investigations being conducted into allegations of misconduct.
Al-Rawi said, “You don’t think Anand Ramlogan has an axe to grind against me?”
He then focused on the Vincent Nelson case. Nelson was convicted in 2019 after pleading guilty to conspiring with then AG Ramlogan and attorney Gerald Ramlogan to corruptly give rewards to Ramlogan and conspiring to launder those funds.
Al-Rawi said, “He (Nelson) has never recanted his statement that he engaged in bribery and that he paid Mr. Ramlogan, the lawyer of choice for the UNC government.”
The Senator responded to the government’s allegations of corruption against him and the People’s National Movement Opposition, saying, “Our Opposition says very plainly, if there are allegations of criminal activity anywhere in this country, investigate. Do as you must, let the chips fall where they may. But under no circumstance will we take allegations just made la blash! Anyhow, anywhere, particularly coming from the UNC.”
