Opposition calls for annulment of Information Exemption Order

Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Conrad Enill told board members of the Estate Managing Business Development Company that they would have to live with Chairman and CEO Uthara Rao or leave. The choice was given them despite the fact that the board had unanimously passed a motion of no confidence in Rao. Enill also told board members that politics had its own morality. This was the claim of Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh in the House of Representatives yesterday. Singh also read into the Hansard records, a letter written by Niala Razack, a former employee of the EMBDC, which gave  details of the” sexual harassment and victimisation” to which she was subjected by Rao.

Rao was still on the job, “standing like a rock of Gibraltar,” Singh said, noting that Rao was a friend of the Prime Minister. A board member yesterday denied that Enill stated that politics had its own morality. The member recalled that Enill stated that until the Board met with the Prime Minister they would have to live with Rao. The member added that Enill promised to arrange a meeting with Manning, but this now seemed unlikely since he (Enill) had convened another meeting with the board on Thursday on the issue of Rao. The case of the EMBDC was raised by Singh as he piloted a private motion calling for the annulment of the Freedom of Information Exemption Order. The Order allows the 160 state companies to be exempted from the Freedom of Information Act once the company is conducting an investigation into any matter.

The UNC MP said the EMBDC was a classic example of how Government planned to use this exemption clause to “cover up” malpractices at the state enterprises. He quoted from a letter dated May 5, 2003, which was addressed to Ken Valley and written by Niala Razack. “On numerous occasions, Mr Rao would touch my breasts, buttocks and kiss me on my cheeks,” the letter stated, drawing “woooooohs” from the Opposition bench. “Mr Rao enquired about my bra size and said he would purchase tablets for me to firm up my breasts,” Singh said, eliciting chuckles. “He insisted that I go to Maracas Bay with him on several occasions. Mr Rao also told me that he would get me a car if I behaved myself,” the letter said. Razack said when she informed a “Mr Soum,” Rao threatened to kick them both out of a job.

Razack noted that the first executive secretary left the job after two weeks, and the account clerk was proposing to leave for the same reason. Razack added that she was prepared to meet with Valley to discuss the matter further. “This is the kind of matter that would (deliberately) be put under perpetual investigation in order to exempt the company from any request for information under the Freedom of Information Act,” Singh said. Stating that Rao was “protected,” Singh also read into the records the motion of no confidence and loss of trust (in Rao) which was passed by the board. Among other things, the board cited the sexual harrassment allegations which “had brought the company, the board, the staff, the line minister into public odium and ridicule.” It also accused Rao was making unilateral decisions.

Pointing out that the Prison Service was one of the public authorities being exempted under the Order, Singh exclaimed: “Lord forbid if something should happen to the Leader of the Opposition!” The UNC MP said Energy Minister Eric Williams must think people were blind to believe his story that  putting his assets into a blind trust run by his brother “and his partner (Kelvin Mapp), was sufficient to remove any conflict of interest. Singh also ploughed into PNM treasurer Andre Monteil whom he described as one of the “biggest predators” on the public purse. Citing Monteil’s role as chairman of TTEC in 1995 Singh accused him of raping the poor people’s pension plan. “So when I see Mr Monteil, chairman of NHA, chairman of Educational Facility, chairman of  NIDCO, treasurer of the PNM, I know (where we heading).” It is only under the Freedom of Information Act that the country can know about this kind of predatory behaviour, the Caroni East MP said.