Panday hits back at bribe-taking charges

UNITED National Congress political leader Basdeo Panday yesterday defended the latest charges of alleged corruption against former UNC ministers. Panday said that if the allegation that a friend of his (Short Pants Man) took a bribe, was true, his name ought not to be called in connection with it. Attorney General Glenda Morean announced in the House of Representatives that $21 million was allegedly paid to a certain associate of the former Prime Minister as a fee to secure the contract to build the InnCogen plant. Launching the party’s Local Government elections campaign yesterday, Panday told a large turnout of supporters at Screamers Pub in La Romaine: “If it is true or false, what I (Panday) have to do with that?” Panday said that he had been the “pal” of certain PNM Ministers in previous Governments and they had been accused of corruption. “Does that make me guilty;What their debt forgiveness have to do with me,” Panday asked? The political leader said that the recent unleashing in Parliament of a string of allegations of bribe-taking by certain UNC ex-ministers, was an attempt to cover-up corruption in the PNM-Government. Panday then proceeded to read out a list of contracts totalling $500,000 million which only PNM activists, many of them councillors, received to finance respective CEPEP projects. He named the companies and value of each contract awarded. Panday called on supporters to send a clear message to the PNM on July 14 by voting for a return of UNC governance.