Rowley: I have nothing to hide

HOUSING MINISTER Dr Keith Rowley yesterday declared that he was innocent of UNC allegations of corruption in the Scarborough Regional Hospital, had the evidence to prove his innocence and challenged the Opposition to repeat its charges without the cloak of parliamentary privilege. Rowley also said he was the target of a vicious UNC smear campaign. During yesterday’s Budget debate in the House of Representatives, Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh caused an uproar when he claimed to have documents which proved that Rowley had a close relationship with hospital contractor, NH International Ltd (a company owned by Emile Elias) and that company was transferring labour and materials from the Scarborough project to a private sector land development project which Rowley is undertaking in Mason Hall, Tobago. Government had to use its parliamentary majority to force the Opposition to allow Prime Minister Patrick Manning to give the undertaking that a full investigation would be carried out and a report would subsequently be laid in Parliament.

Addressing a news conference during the tea break, Dr Rowley confirmed that his family had started a commercial land development project at Mason Hall in 2003 but said it was being undertaken by Tobago contractor Warner Construction and NH International was subcontracted by Warner to handle a small part of the project. “We have a fixed contract with Warner to do this development as per the engineering design and we make progress payments along the way. To date, we have made significant payments to Warner and the project is still incomplete and we are proceeding as per the contract. Our responsibility is to pay Warner as our project progresses. We have no relationship with NH International with respect to contracting for us. The Minister said he had “no responsibility to account for any material from the hospital site because I am sure the contractors involved who work on that site would be able to speak for themselves on their own conduct.” Rowley said he welcomed any investigation into the matter, “Ganga Singh made the allegations and presented documents supposed to be incriminating and demanded an investigation.

Prime Minister Manning got up and offered a full and comprehensive investigation, but the Government had to use its majority to get the Prime Minister to say that in the Parliament. The Opposition resisted having the Prime Minister make the commitment. That will tell you something. They are not interested in the truth or in any investigation. All they are interested in is trying to smear persons for political benefit. I intend to cooperate fully with any investigation. I have nothing to fear, nothing to hide. I have broken no law.” He said Singh had a habit of activating “the sensitivities of the media and the national community,” having done so regarding his (Singh) involvement with InnCogen and the recent tea room incident between Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma and himself (Rowley). “I challenge him to come outside of the Parliament. Outside of the cover of parliamentary privilege and accuse me of any wrongdoing in Tobago, on this project or any other project belonging to me or the State.” Rowley said he provided Manning with all the details of his private sector project and these details have also been disclosed to the Integrity Commission.