Kamla queries Rowley, Young role in $255M deal

Addressing supporters yesterday at the UNC Couva South auditorium, after a motorcade and rally on property tax, Persad-Bissessar directed them to log on to website of Massy Holdings Ltd .

“Go on website, who is this man here listed as a director? This man not so young. He is the elder Young. His name is Richard Young .

I call upon the young man, who is an official of the Government, to explain what part was played, if any, as minister in office of the PM and as the younger of the Youngs,” she said while waving documents .

On Tuesday, majority stateowned Telecommunications Services of TT (TSTT) signed a share purchase agreement to buy 100 percent of the shares of Massy Communications for $255 million .

Young subsequently said Cabinet members were not privy to the purchase .

Yesterday, the Opposition Leader further pointed out that businessman Robert Bermudez, Government’s appointee as UWI Chancellor, was also listed as a non-executive director of Massy Holdings .

“He is the man that the Minster of Education jumped in front to say is the chancellor of UWI. This is a serious matter — quarter billion dollars of taxpayers’ money. I cannot believe that TSTT will be so mad to spend quarter billion dollars and nobody knows about it,” Persad-Bissessar added .

She provided statistics telling supporters that based on Massy’s website, there are 3,500 subscribers each paying $450 monthly which amounts to $1.5 million .

Persad-Bissessar added: “I call on the Prime Minister to tell us whether he knew and whether Young knew about this deal. That is $18 million yearly which is not even profit. Is that making economic sense?” Persad-Bissessar noted that Parliament ended at about 2 am yesterday shortly after Caroni Central MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie stood up to make his contribution on the midterm budget review. “They shut him down. So, while we are fighting the (property) tax, they are running away with the piggy bank. They sold out to a company and there was no due diligence,” she said