Franklin Khan resigns

AS ALLEGATIONS of bribery and corruption continued to swirl around him, Works and Transport Minister, Franklin Khan yesterday tendered his resignation from the Cabinet to Prime Minister Patrick Manning. The resignation was accepted. In his letter of resignation, Khan stated that he had resigned until his name was cleared of the charges made by the Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation PNM Councillor Dansam Dhansook, that he (Dhansook) had paid Khan a bribe. Khan stated that when he offered himself for public service, “it was always with the intention of upholding the highest tenets of integrity and morality in public office.”

Dhansook’s “baseless” allegations, Khan said, had cast doubt on his ability to do so. Khan, who is the PNM party chairman, maintains his innocence but said he would not compromise the “noblest traditions” of the party’s commitment to good governance. However, while his decision to resign is with immediate effect, Khan said he has informed Prime Minister Patrick Manning of his intention to return to office as soon as his name is cleared. The saga began when an undated hand-written letter, which was reportedly sent to the Prime Minister by Dhansook, was read in Parliament on April 27 by Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The letter alleged that Khan and Minister of Energy, Eric Williams had taken bribes of approximately $195,000 from Dhansook, relative to contracts for a seismic survey conducted by the Calgary-based Canadian company Terra Seis in Khan’s Ortoire/Mayaro constituency. The letter also alleged threats made to Dhansook’s life by Williams when the councillor threatened to expose him (Williams). Both Khan and Williams denied the claims and at a press conference produced an affidavit signed by Dhansook on July 6, 2004, retracting the contents of his letter to Manning. One week later Dhansook retracted his retraction and said that he had sworn to that affidavit under duress. Although  Khan has resigned from the Cabinet, he has not resigned from Parliament and continues to hold the post of chairman of the PNM.