Landate report for Cabinet tomorrow

The report, according to sources, is expected to go to Cabinet at its weekly meeting tomorrow.

The Opposition UNC has raised questions about the length of time Prime Minister Patrick Manning has had the report — almost one month.

Manning confirmed receiving the report on August 22. It was submitted to President George Maxwell Richards on August 19. Sources said the President had passed it on to the Prime Minister on the same day he received it from the commissioners.

The Prime Minister had promised from the inception that the report would be tabled in Parliament. He reiterated this commitment on September 5 in response to the motion raised by Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the issue.

The Commission of Inquiry was appointed by President Richards on May 5, on the advice of the Cabinet, to investigate allegations of the illegal removal of materials, equipment and resources by NHIC from the Scarborough Hospital site to the Landate project site at Mason Hall, Tobago. The Landate housing development project is owned by Rowley’s wife, Sharon.

The commission was also required to enquire into the circumstances surrounding the procurement processes and the award of all State contracts made to NHIC and Warner Construction — the two contractors involved in Landate — from 2002 to date.

Public hearing of the inquiry began on July 11 and ended on August 5, during which commissioners Annestine Sealey, Dr Chandrabhan Sharma and Eustace Hobson heard evidence from more than 15 witnesses, including Rowley and UNC activist Junior Barrington "Skippy" Thomas. The commission, which had a mandate to submit its report no later than six weeks after the start of the first day of public hearing, met its deadline.

NHIC executive chairman Emile Elias was scheduled to give evidence, but was denied his day in court when the company, represented by attorney Jason Mootoo, withdrew from the proceedings on July 29. The attorney accused the commission of not allowing the company a fair hearing.

Opposition Chief Whip, Ganga Singh, who had made the original allegations against Rowley during the 2005 budget debate, was notified and asked to give submissions. He failed to respond to the commission’s request.

Rowley, who had maintained his innocence from the onset and indicated his willingness to appear before the commission, described the allegations against him as "an act of retaliation" against him by the Opposition UNC.