I am not speaking right now

When Newsday visited the Energy Ministry’s Riverside Plaza headquarters yesterday, we were informed that Williams was in a meeting and unavailable for comment. Contacted subsequently by phone, the minister expressed surprise that Newsday was calling him and said, he "was expecting another call."

When asked if he had any response to the allegations which continue to be made against him, Williams replied, "I am not speaking right now."

The call was then terminated.

Marantha Geophysical Services Ltd, the seismic contractor company referred to in allegations made by Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh at a UNC public meeting in Montrose last Friday, supported an earlier statement by bpTT that Singh’s claims were false.

Marantha officials confirmed that Williams resigned as company chairman when he entered Government, and has no involvement in its affairs.

They said Marantha has been undertaking seismic survey operations in TT since 2001 and all of its operations were above board because "that’s the only way we do business."