PM takes on Dhansook

The meeting was chaired by PNM chairman Franklin Khan, who resigned last Sunday as Works and Transport Minister in the wake of bribery allegations made against him and also Energy Minister Eric Williams by Dhansook. However, Khan excused himself from the chair and allowed PNM vice-chairman John Donaldson to take over the portion of the meeting that concerned a decision with respect to Dhansook’s future. Williams did not attend yesterday’s meeting.

Approached by Newsday immediately after the meeting, the Prime Minister declined to answer any questions and suggested it would be better to ask questions at the post-General Council press conference. At that news conference (which was chaired by Khan), Donaldson said the General Council approved a resolution by party education officer Overand Padmore to endorse the decision of the PNM’s central executive at its last meeting "to have the entire matter concerning claims by Councillor Dhansook placed in the hands of the Political Leader for such action as he might deem necessary at the appropriate time."

Donaldson said the Prime Minister informed the General Council about his actions to date regarding Dhansook’s allegations and the resolution was approved. In an immediate telephone response, Dhansook said he would abide by whatever decision the party makes regarding his political future.

Donaldson said the General Council expressed its full support for Khan and Williams, with Manning congratulating Khan for the actions that he took "after the problem arose" and saying that he (Manning) had discerned an attempt being made recently to place an "aura of a lack of integrity" on the PNM. Donaldson said the Prime Minister urged his Cabinet ministers to "stick to the course set by the party which was morality in public affairs" and uphold the highest levels of personal integrity. He added that there was no discussion of any matter pertaining to Williams.

On April 27, Opposition MP for Siparia Kamla Persad-Bissessar read in Parliament a letter Dansam Dhansook wrote to the Prime Minister making allegations that he had bribed both Khan and Williams. In his letter, he enclosed six cheques which he claimed represented bribes to Khan. Both Khan and Williams have strongly denied receiving bribes from Dhansook. Khan stated that the six cheques that Dhansook sent to the Prime Minister were in fact repayments of a loan which he (Khan) had made to Dhansook in 2002.

Yesterday, Sunday Newsday published copies of two cheques written by Khan to Dhansook in July 2002 before Khan entered government.

The cheques totalling $588,000 were endorsed by Dhansook and his wife Ramrowtee and deposited into their account at the Scotiabank branch in Rio Claro. Speaking about the publication of the cheques, Dhansook queried how Newsday came into possession of the copies of the cheques and said they represented "something of a loan." All of the allegations made by Dhansook have been sent by the Prime Minister to the Integrity Commission.

Contacted yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said she could not make a judgment call regarding the publication of two copies of cheques showing that Khan had loaned Dhansook $588,000. She said she would await the results of the Integrity Commission’s investigation into the matter, although her party has officially stated it has no confidence in the Integrity Commission.