Minister to investigate corruption

“The reason why I said it is because I was just on the phone coming in and they told me about a certain official in a corporation who is using the corporation vehicle from Sunday to Sunday and even taking it home,” said Minister Hosein. “So far it is an allegation, but I am going to deal with it on Monday morning and I am going to find out.” Hosein gave a surprise address to those gathered at the Chaguanas Borough Corporation’s hall on Saturday for the launch of the corporation’s Volunteer Network. Hosein, not carded to speak, dropped in unannounced nearing the end of the event and was given a chance to address the gathering.

“I do not stand for any corruption,” he said. “There will be no corruption under me in the Ministry and I know there is a lot in the corporations. I get text messages every day, letters are written and it is not right for people who are working in the corporations including supervisors to abuse tax payers’ money and assets belonging to the state. It is not right.” Hosein praised the launch of the corporation’s Volunteer Network, which has a list of over 300 volunteers from the respective districts of the corporation.

Similar networks are expected to be launched in all 14 corporations and each network will have a database storing volunteers and their skillsets who can be called on in times of need.

Later this week, the Ministry will launch a toll free disaster emergency hotline number that would give people a direct line of communication to disaster management units within respective corporations instead of going through the corporations’ administrative offices.