By Sue-Ann Wayow
AN Opposition MP is calling on the police to investigate properties purchased by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, his wife and daughter.
The call comes from Member of Parliament for Barataria/San Juan Saddam Hosein who is maintaining that Dr Rowley has broken the law by failing to declare the purchase of a million-dollar townhouse at Inez Gate, Shirvan Road, Tobago.
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Hosein speaking on Thursday night at a United National Congress (UNC) cottage meeting at the Couva Multi Purpose Hall displayed a deed for the purchase for a property in 2021 also at the same location between Dr Sonel Rowley-Stewart and Allan Warner, the developer which was also valued at $1.2 million.
The deed was dated August 5, 2021, and made out by attorney Dr Rowley’s wife, Sharon Clarke-Rowley.
Dr Rowley bought his property in 2019 and Hosein said the value of properties would have increased with time and others who bought properties paid almost $1.8 million.
He said, “She (Rowley-Stewart) paid Stamp Duty of $10,000 while everybody else was paying over $40,000 in Stamp Duty. You understand what is going on there? We are now calling on the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau, the FIB, the FIU, everybody, investigate this suspicious transaction!”
Hosein called on Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher to launch an immediate investigation into the matter.
The MP vowed to ensure that Dr Rowley be prosecuted for allegedly breaking the law even though the Integrity Commission failed to take action against him which was unfair.
“If we have to take this matter all the way to the Privy Council, we will reach to the courthouse in England and we will stand on your behalf here because Rowley cannot break the law and get away with it….Let us see the agreement of sale for that townhouse, let us see all of the cheques for that townhouse,” Hosein said.
He told supporters, “Tonight we are saying, we have to light up the Integrity Commission, they must have some integrity!”
In 2021, Hosein spoke on the two purchases at a United National Congress (UNC) virtual report and followed through with the letter to the Integrity Commission that recently cleared Dr Rowley of any wrongdoing while admitting there were breaches to the Integrity and Public Life Act.
Based on the Commission’s response, UNC activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj through his attorneys led by Anand Ramlogan, SC issued a pre-action protocol letter to the Integrity Commission and is awaiting a response.
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