The money trail, how forgetful are we!

THE EDITOR: It is said that those who forget history tend to repeat it. And yes, how forgetful we are indeed! The tiring question of where the money gone had dogged our countrymen time and time again, government after government. Let me remind the forgetful in our society where the money trail of corruption and thievery began with just a few examples as I am sure an entire encyclopedia can be written on the history of corruption in Trinidad and Tobago with virtually no end in sight. Does anyone remember or can account for the $240 million spent on the Caroni Racing Complex and the Malabar Housing Project started in the 1970’s by then Prime Minister Eric Williams that came to an abrupt end in 1981. Whatever became of these projects or perhaps the millions stolen by O’Halloran and his comrades and yes, where the money gone?

In the early 1980’s TT was considered an upper middle income oil exporting country, our nation displayed the highest gross domestic product of the Commonwealth Caribbean, one of the highest standard of living in the developing world. The country’s GDP stood at US$7.7 billion in 1985. In 1981 the nation’s reserves stood at US$3.3 billion and by the end of 1986 before the PNM was voted out of power it plummeted to US$400 million. I was 13 years old at the time and clearly without a doubt remember the answer given by a prominent member of the then PNM government shortly before the 1986 general election, as he jokingly confessed and laughed in our faces, he said “they say we of the PNM thief, well is true, all ah we thief.” When the NAR came into power on December 17, 1986 the deficit was a staggering US$2.8 billion rather than the US$1 billion claimed by the previous government and a shocked and betrayed nation cried where the money gone? The NAR government then went on to spend millions of dollars investigating corruption by the previous government and let’s not forget in excess of $8 million on the Scott drug report, names were mentioned, accusations made but with overwhelming evidence not a single arrest or fine imposed. What was the purpose of this investigation and where and in whose pockets did the money go? It is obvious that Mr Robinson knew of the rampant corruption within the PNM, after all he himself led the investigation in 1987 as head of government and was also a former member of the PNM, so why was the decision made in December 2001 by then President of TT to cast us into the destructive force of the PNM government, why the sudden change of heart Mr Robinson?

The UNC then came into power on November 9, 1995 but decided against playing private investigator. A construction boom then began with the building of schools, roads, flyovers, stadiums to honour our national heroes and foreign investment poured into TT. Everything from pizza, burgers, oil companies, methanol plants, LNG contracts, grants and affordable education for our nation’s children, improved health services and the list went on. And then came the expansion of the Airport with a now reported price tag of $1.6 billion. After the election of December 2001 and the 18/18 deadlock, the President Mr Robinson the same person who led investigation into PNM corruption and spent millions of taxpayers dollars in 1987 decided to play god and make a spiritual decision to place the PNM into power. My friends the PNM is now in power, our country is now riddled with murder, kidnapping, rapes and numerous robberies. The destruction of prime agricultural land in Curepe for their own selfish and political gains, striking oil workers, doctors, public servants, foreign nations warning their citizens against travelling to our country and in an apparent desperate money grab, they give away Pigeon Point at a Knockdown bargain price of $200 million. The present government has admitted to spending in excess of $10 million in investigating alleged corruption under the past UNC government plus the $2 million already paid to Commissioners of the Airport inquiry as was mentioned by the Attorney General Glenda Morean.

By the way, where is the evidence against the past government that has led to these investigations? Were the people of TT left with an empty treasury by the past UNC government or were they involved in the senseless destruction of our precious landscape? What was the crime rate between November ‘95 and December ‘01? Can those who voted for the present government intelligently answer these questions. Don’t forget there is yet another investigation into alleged corruption into WASA and that $51 million, brought against the present PNM administration. If no arrest or fines are imposed against members of the past UNC government at the end of the Airport inquiry after millions of dollars are spent, would the majority of the population to the conclusion that they were hoodwinked and fooled by the propaganda of the PNM, Ramesh and various sections of the media who portrayed themselves as judge and executioner in the last general election when it came to the Airport fiasco. As the saying goes; fool me once shame on you, but fool me twice shame on me!

DEVANAND ANIL DHANPAUL
Port-of-Spain