Gopeesingh wants public report on probe

Gopeesingh said if they were in keeping with reports in the media, then this must immediately be sent for a complete financial and criminal probe to the Commissioner of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Integrity Commission.

Gopeesingh said several members of the EFCL were sent home and contracts were not being renewed because “two senior members were pulling rank.” The Caroni East MP said he called on Finance Minister Colm Imbert to initiate a forensic audit into the use of public funds by the EFCL and in the House on Wednesday, both the Finance Minister and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi confirmed that an investigation is underway.

He said there were allegations of rank corruption through bid rigging and insider trading which warranted decisive action.

“I call on the minister of Education to immediately rescind the decision of the Board and renew the contracts of the employees who seem to be victims of political games and hubris, for in these tough financial times, no one should lose their jobs because two senior members of the ruling PNM are pulling rank on one another, and using citizens’ livelihoods and millions of taxpayers’ dollars to engage in their dangerous ego games,” Gopeesingh said, during a news conference on Wednesday.

Gopeesingh said reports have stated that ten employees have not had their contracts renewed by the board of directors at the EFCL, while the information technology IT (manager) had been suspended following revelations of the questionable practices.