‘PM accountable to no one’

Prime Minister Patrick Manning has a “sovereign and sole prerogative” to employ whomever he pleases as Information Attache in any one of Trinidad and Tobago’s missions abroad, and is accountable to no one with respect to the qualifications of the persons he appoints, in the exercise of this discretion, Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift said yesterday, as he explained why these positions were not advertised. He was responding to questions in the Senate yesterday filed by Opposition Senator Wade Mark.

As Gift disclosed the remuneration packages of the Information Attaches assigned to the Trinidad and Tobago embassies and mission, the Opposition Senator also sought to take issue with the qualifications of London Attache, Ashton Forde. Gift stated that the criteria in the selection included a combination of qualifications and experience and a proven track record. Gift stated that there were four Information Attaches at the Trinidad and Tobago missions in Ottawa, New York, London and Miami. He said that at the time the question was posed, there was one Labour Attache selected by the Ministry of Labour, assigned to the Consulate-General in Toronto. The expenditure for this attache was borne by the Ministry of Labour, Gift said.

The names, qualifications and salaries are as follows:
Andrea Chambers Wilson — (Attache in New York): The terms and conditions included a salary of TT$7,000 a month, a month foreign duty allowance of US$2,750, entertainment allowance of US $60 monthly and a car allowance of US$120 plus reimbursement of any travelling claims in the performance of her duties. Warm clothing allowance — an initial payment TT$900 and after two years a renewal of TT$450. Outfit allowance: an inital payment of TT$1,500 and the provision of  appropriate housing at a rental of ten percent of salary. Wilson, daughter of former prime minister George Chambers, possesses qualifications that include a Masters of Public Administration (Florida State University), and BAs in French and Spanish (University of Wales, University of Madagar, Spain). Teacher training programme (Paris).

Elvin Edwards — (Attache in Ottawa): TT$9,000, foreign duty allowance of Can $3,778 monthly; entertainment allowance of Can$60 monthly, transportation allowance of Can$160 and reimbursement of claims incurred in excess of this amount in performance of duties. Warm clothing allowance of TT$900 with renewal of TT$450 after two years. An initial outfit allowance of TT$1,300 and provision of appropriate housing by Government at a rental of ten percent of salary. A former mayor of Arima, Edwards’ qualifications include a Ryerson Polytechnic (Canada) Progamme in Language 1; Courses in Managing Organisational Transformation — Institute of Business, UWI; Basic Project Management at American Management Association; Economics, Human Resources and Financial Managing and Marketing at Roytec.

Ashton Forde — (Attache in London): TT$9,000, foreign duty allowance of 1,920 pounds monthly; entertainment allowance of 75pounds monthly; an advance of TT$100,000 to be repaid at six percent interest per annum and an advance to cover the cost of motor vehicle, insurance premium at six percent per annum to facilitate the purchase of a vehicle as well as an advance of TT $15,000 at six percent interest per annum to effect repairs. Initial warm clothing allowance of TT$900 and after two years TT$450, outfit allowance of TT$1,500 and provision of appropriate housing by the Government at a rental of ten percent of salary. Forde’s qualifications include former mayor of Arima; MP for Arima; parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport and Ministry of Public Utilities; he worked in the Information Division, Office of the PM; communications officer in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition; Media Analyst in Ministry of Public Administration and Information and Ministry of Legal Affairs; chairman of the Human Resource Committee of the Eastern Regional Health Authority; journalist at the Express and Guardian.

Harvey Borris — (Attache in Miami): salary,  TT$8,000, foreign duty allowance of US$2,715 monthly; entertainment allowance of US$60 monthly; an advancement of $100,000 and advancement on motor vehicle insurance, both to be repaid at six percent interest per annum. Initial warm clothing allowance” of TT$900 with a renewal after two years of TT $450; outfit allowance of TT $1,500 and provision of appropriate housing accomodation by the Government at a rental of ten percent of salary. A former Local Government representative who waged a one-man protest against the low salaries of councillors, Borris’ qualifications include pursuing an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration and Managing, certificates in Protocol and Business Etiquette; executive member of the San Juan Business Association, 16 years as a Local Government representative, held sub-managerial and managerial positions in private sector companies —British American, Guardian Life and Clico.

When Gift was finished, Mark said Gift provided a dossier of Forde’s public service background, but didn’t give details of Forde’s qualifications. Gift said Forde’s experience and work exposure were well articulated and that no one could fault his appointment. Mark said, “Is it that he has no qualification?” This prompted Dr Lenny Saith to ask Mark: “Is the Senator saying qualifications mean a degree?” Saith added that Forde’s work experience was his qualification for the job. Saying that qualification did not mean academic background, Danny Montano noted that Mark had no specific qualification to be a Senator. “Where we going with this?” Mark shot back sharply.

Gift said Rudy Rampersadsingh, Labour Attache (Toronto) was no longer employed there, but at the time of his employment his salary was $10,000; foreign duty allowance Can $3,500 monthly; warm clothing allowance for self, spouse and children over 16 years with a renewal every two years of TT$450. Transport — an advance of TT$85,000 to be repaid at the rate of six percent per annum to facilitate the purchase of a vehicle and an advance for the payment of motor vehicle insurance, or he could accept a transport allowance of $1,400 a month, or he could take advantage of the provision of an appropriate vehicle for use in the performance of his duties during the period of his engagement. Housing — the provision of appropriate furnished housing at a rental of ten percent of salary. An approved medical plan in which 75 percent of the cost of medical expenses would be borne by the employer. Gratuity — 20 percent of gross salary earned over the period. His qualifications included a BSc in Agronomy and a post-graduate diploma in Public Administration.