By Sue-Ann Wayow
WITHOUT calling his name in Parliament, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar claims that Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi took five years to declare to the Integrity Commission the sale of his vehicle.
Persad-Bissessar, in her Budget contribution on Friday said independent institutions formed to uphold law and the Government accountable was being compromised due to political interference.
She also mentioned the Police Service Commission (PolSC) and the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority.
Persad-Bissessar said, “In this Budget an allocation was made for the Integrity Commission. Persons in public office are compelled by law to declare assets to the Integrity Commission. The country learnt of individuals who sold a Porche SUV to their friend and did not transfer it.
“That is in breach of the law. Additionally, if a person in public life fails to declare any sale of any assets he is in breach of the law.”
She continued, “Based on the records in the Integrity Commission, a person in public life sold a vehicle in 2016 and failed to disclose the sale to the Integrity Commission in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. Failed. In breach of the law.”
It was only when it became public knowledge this year that the sale was declared by letter February 2021.
Why did it take five years to disclose this sale? What were you hiding? Is the Integrity Commission under-resourced to detect these matters?
These were all questions the Opposition Leader asked.
She also said the country deserves an explanation as to why Government has slashed the recurrent expenditure to the Integrity Commission from $16.6 million in 2015 to $8.3 million in this Budget.
In his contribution, Al-Rawi said, “I have made all my declarations in writing and the records of the Integrity Commission will show that.”
He said he wrote to the Integrity Commission in February 2021 confirming their inquiry a month before about the sale of his vehicle PCY 84.
