HEADS MUST ROLL...INCLUDING MINE

Newsday asked Sinanan if the term “crookedness” adopted by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, at a press conference after a meeting with Tobago stakeholders on Monday, was too strong.

At the launch yesterday of the Heavy-T inspection bay at the Frederick Settlement, Caroni, licensing office, Sinanan declined weighing in on the comment saying, “The prime minister will use whatever language he thinks is appropriate. All I can say is that I welcome the investigation and I think the population needs to know exactly what went on.” Asked whether Rowley’s view, that there was crookedness involved in the procurement process for the Ocean Flower II, was an indictment on him (Sinanan) as the line minister, he said, “I don’t think so. I think the report that has been asked for will indicate exactly where– if you want to use the word–the ‘crookedness’ has taken place.

Once the facts show that there was crookedness, I think heads should roll.

“And if there is an indictment on the minister, then I think the minister’s head should roll. If it is on the board, then the board should roll. And if it is at the management, then the management needs to be accountable.

“So let’s wait for the report.

I could give you the assurance that once the report shows up anything, I know the prime minister will do what he has to do.” Asked if he’d like to identify with a former US president’s statement, “I am not a crook,” Sinanan replied, “Well, the thing about it is that I have stood for certain things, which is integrity in public affairs, and I’ll stick to the oath of office that I have sworn to upkeep. So I have no fear that the investigation will show anything on the minister.

“If you understand how these agreements work, the minister has hardly any role to play.

The procurement is done by the management of the port. Then it goes to the port’s tenders committee. Then it goes to the board. Then the board makes the recommendation to the ministry and the minister then takes it to Cabinet and Cabinet approves it.

“So if you follow the chain of events, there’s hardly anywhere for the minister to get involved.

I look forward to the investigation and I’m very confident that the investigation will not bring anything up on the questions on the minister.” Responding to former trade minister Stephen Cadiz’s claim that the Ocean Flower 2 is on its way to Trinidad despite its contract being cancelled, Sinanan replied, “I have no comment on that. I’m not tracking the vessel.

I’m the Minister of Works and Transport; the Port Authority is the authority to deal with the vessels and, so, I just wait for a report from them.

“The last report I had is that they have cancelled the contract, and that is where the Government stands.”