May 19th, 2015 - The Independent Liberal Party (ILP) wishes to strongly condemn moves within the United National Congress (UNC) controlled Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation (CTTRC) today to stifle whistle-blowing by CTTRC employees who are concerned about corruption and other undesirable activities at the regional corporation.
At the meeting of the Finance and Allocation of Resources Committee this morning, Committee Chairman, UNC Alderman Ria Jaggan, ruled that any complaints or observations brought to Council by members would not be allowed onto the record unless the name of the informant is disclosed to the Council.
Jaggan made the ruling as ILP Alderman Sunil Ramjitsingh questioned the rationale by which awards would be given to staff at an upcoming appreciation function. Ramjitsingh said the question was necessary since some staff felt disenchanted and disadvantaged where a Checker assigned to the Office of the Chairman was awarded last year for going beyond the call of duty when in fact the Checker had been claiming overtime payment and has refused to assist in extra activities unless she is paid overtime. Other employees in the various sub-districts complained that they felt belittled that they were not considered for any awards and that persons might have been hand-picked due to their closeness and affiliation with certain senior officials.
Ramjitsingh said the employees who complained asked not to be identified out of fear that they may be victimized in the workplace.
Alderman Jaggan insisted that Ramjitsingh name the employees who made the negative comments, and when Ramjitsingh said he would not compromise the confidence of the workers, she ordered that his concerns be struck off the minutes of the meeting. When Ramjitsingh complained about the censorship of his contribution, Jaggan threatened to have him put out of the meeting.
At several intervals thereafter Alderman Jaggan refused to allow Ramjitsingh to contribute to matters under discussion by the Council, allowing only UNC members to speak.
A similar confrontation also occurred between Jaggan and People’s National Movement (PNM) Councillor for California-Point Lisas, Alif Mohammed, who complained that a sanitation worker employed by a private contractor had come to Mohammed’s private residence to discuss issues raised by Mohammed in a Committee meeting concerning garbage collection. Mohammed, who said he was concerned for the safety of his wife and child, stated that persons in the regional corporation had been giving out his private residential address and telephone number instead of his office address and number, and asked that this practice stop. Jaggan refused to let Mohammed’s concerns be recorded into the minutes unless Mohammed name the employees who had given out his private information, and also threatened to have him evicted from the meeting.
All of this took place in the presence of CTTRC Chairman Henry Awong.
The ILP, through its two Aldermen in the CTTRC, our Political Leader and other party officials, frequently receive reports of irregularities and questionable activities taking place at the CTTRC – as with several other government agencies.
Many of these issues have been raised in the CTTRC by our two Aldermen and have borne fruit. For example a report that a senior CTTRC official had been using the Corporation’s property and resources for construction work at a private residence in Boodram Lane, Preysal, was proved and a written confession by the officer was tabled before the Council.
At the moment, over $190,000 in materials from the CTTRC Gasparillo stock pile are not properly accounted for. A substantial amount of materials balanced from the 2014 financial year, which materials were unused, cannot be accounted for either and is currently being investigated by the Auditors from the Ministry of Local Government.
We are in receipt of numerous reports of CTTRC contract employees soliciting the sums of $2,500 and $5,000 to assist persons in obtaining employment. This matter was drawn to the attention of Chairman Awong by ILP Alderman Beeran Rambaran after a delegation of workers came to Rambaran’s home. This has been directed to the police by Rambaran following the Council’s failure to address the matter.
Based on information received by the ILP from the public, discrepancies have been uncovered in several projects under the CTTRC and some of these are currently engaging the attention of the Council. Some of these matters involve “moon-lighting” by certain officers in the Corporation.
Where large sums of money are involved and where the culprits, if caught, can face hefty fines and jail term, it is understandable that some persons may wish to remain anonymous for fear that they or their familes may be harmed, or that they may lose their jobs, not only in the CTTRC but in the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) and CEPEP, or that they may be denied access to welfare programmes if they complain on persons associated with the People’s Partnership (PP) government or in other positions of power.
In this context, it is preposterous that Alderman Jaggan and Chairman Awong would insist that whistle blowers and anonymous complainants must be identified by name before concerns would be noted in the Council’s minutes or even discussed. We view Jaggan’s high-handed and biased approach, under the supervision of Awong, as an abuse of power, as favouring the cover up and brushing aside of serious issues such as corruption, and being contrary to their duty to put the protection of the public’s purse and the public interest foremost.
The ILP wishes to assure the national population that with respect to allegations of misconduct and corruption at the CTTRC and all other State bodies, we will protect the identity of all persons who confide in us.
This is particularly pertinent given the recent findings in the Auditor General’s Report where large sums of money are unaccounted for in the public service, and considering the issue of whistle-blower protection raised by the media industry with respect to the Cyber Crime Bill 2015.
We will pursue justice without fear and without succumbing to acts of intimidation. Whatever matters we are blocked from pursuing via the internal channels, we will pursue via external channels.
We take this opportunity to once again issue a call for the urgent introduction of legislation to protect whistle-blowers who are brave, patriotic citizens who are willing to take risk to see that righteousness and justice is done and that the public purse is protected from assault.
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