Opposition MP charges ‘fowl fight’ between Minister and chicken producers

Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran yesterday labelled Legal Affairs Minister Camille Robinson-Regis “chicken licken.” He was speaking in the Customs Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday. Ramsaran said there was a “fowl fight” going on between the Minister and the chicken producers. “How can she tell people not to eat chicken, such an important staple?” he asked, adding that Robinson-Regis’ call was “irresponsible.” He said she was responsible for the rise in chicken. The UNC MP also took a dig at the “newest minister”, saying that custom officers were lamenting the fact that before “the ink dried” on the appointment of Christine Sahadeo she had made arrangements to bring in a $500,000 Toyota motor car. “The ink wasn’t even dry when she started looking for luxury,” he said. Quoting from a letter written by a Custom Officer on the issue, he said: “Is she taking all she could get early. The signal is that these people only care about themselves.” The Chaguanas MP also targetted the other Government ministers, saying that they didn’t seem to understand that they didn’t have diplomatic status when they pass through Piarco.

He claimed that government ministers were going straight to the VIP lounge with their luggage and then straight to their cars without filling out the custom declaration forms and declaring the “whisky” and other such goods that they bring in. “Whisky?” Legal Affairs Camille Robinson-Regis asked in disbelief. “Don’t talk stupidness!” Planning Minister Dr Keith Rowley declared in anger. “That is what all yuh use to do!” Health Minister Colm Imbert chimed in. “I don’t even use the VIP lounge, so don’t talk nonsense!” Rowley continued, in heated tones. Ramsaran said custom officers still talk about Winston Dookeran, who as a minister in the NAR Government would fill out his declaration form and carry his own luggage. “But you all treat yourself as diplomats,” he asserted, looking towards the Government benches, which again raised their voices in a chorus of denials. Ramsaran stated that custom officers made diaries of these things. “And the diary might say that at 10.30 MP for Diego Martin East (Colm Imbert) went through VIP, took his bags and went into his Benz”, Ramsaran said. “When was that? You making up stories,” Imbert protested.

Ramsaran said stories were also being told by  custom officers who work on the Western Peninsula that certain contraband goods are imported and whenever they intercepted it, “Normally there is some high-handed (sic) person behind it.” He added that two weeks ago, a game warden on duty at the Caroni Swamp saw the “importation” of goods on the Blue River. He got a custom officer and when they returned to the Blue River, they saw a “senior official” of the government in front of the trunk. “A senior official of the government or a senior member of the Parliament?” San Fernando West MP Diane Seukeran wanted to know. Her colleagues dared Ramarsan to call names, but he did not take up the challenge. Ramsaran also read out a letter from eight of the most senior Customs Officers in which they were protesing the appointment of a Comptroller of Customs who is “politically appointed.”