Panday: Why prosecute me?

In his application for leave, Panday has named certain officials who have failed and/or refused to file their declarations. Although he is seeking certain orders from the High Court, Panday has not sought a stay of his criminal trial before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls.

Attorneys Anand Ramlogan and Narendra Lalbeharry turned up at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, at 5.30 pm yesterday to file the documents, hoping to get an early date for the hearing of the judicial review application.

Assistant Registrar Kevin Ramcharan was present and accepted the documents, and according to Ramlogan, the matter will be placed before a judge on Monday morning.

Panday, a former prime minister, was charged with failing to declare his London bank account to the Integrity Commission for the years 1997, 1998, and 1999. His trial starts on Monday in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court.

In his affidavit, Panday, the Leader of the Opposition, wants to know why he and Gangar (former UNC energy minister) were singled out for prosecution. He said that some time last month, he received information which pointed to possible corruption on the part of certain members of the Government and other public officials.

Panday said he requested his attorneys to inspect the Register of Interests at the Integrity Commission. He found that there was not a proper register at the commission.

Panday also stated that the statements of certain public officials were not available at the commission.

The former PM said the register is of critical importance to the United National Congress party, because it is one of the primary means of investigating or checking suspicions or allegations of corruption and conflicts of interest.

Panday said from investigations conducted, his attorneys found that two PNM ministers, two UNC members, and several other public officials failed to declare their assets for the years 2003 and/2004.

Panday produced statements of the Integrity Commission published in Newsday in March 2005 showing the list of persons who did not file declarations. The Opposition Leader said the only persons known to have been exempted from filing declarations were judges, magistrates and members of the TSTT board.

He said these persons comprise less than 100 persons, "so it is clear that hundreds of persons have not filed their declarations and statements as required by law for 2004."

Panday said that Gangar and himself were the only two persons charged under the Integrity in Public Life Act 1987 and 2000.

"I am being prosecuted for failing to disclose that I was a joint signatory to an account my wife held in London to finance our children’s education. No action, on the other hand, has been taken against these individuals who have not even bothered to make any disclosure about their income, assets and liabilities and/or registerable interests over the years to satisfy the provisions of the act."

Panday said that he and Gangar were arbitrarily singled out for prosecution. He accused the Integrity Commission of political bias. He also stated that he was singled out for special and different treatment by the commission.

"The political bias of the Integrity Commission is also illustrated by the inordinate delay in several investigations into allegations of corruption against Government officials," Panday added.