Manning slips and slides as a savvy zangee
Manning, the zangee
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Pressure and more pressure as anger mounts on the UDECOTT issue. Kamla will debate it in Parliament this afternoon.
Things have been happening at blurring speed as the Calder Hart controversy escalates.
The Director of Public Prosecution announces a police investigation into Calder Hart regarding the $368 million Legal Affairs Towers awarded to a Malaysian company allegedly owned by Hart’s families; the Attorney General, belatedly, announcing that he has been investigating Hart since last September, the Prime Minister suddenly surfacing to hold an 11.am conference today.
No one knew that he had returned from London and, of course, he continues to defend Hart and his performance as former UDECVOTT chairman and tells the press that there is a new order in the construction sector. UDECOTT had stepped on the corns of some very powerful people. Projects undertaken by Hart are completed on time and within budget. There is a lynch mob and there is no similarity about his demanding former Chief Justice Sat Sharma, several years ago to resign and his not taking similar action against Hart. And the Prime Minister goes on and on in this vein.
The public is advised that President Max Richards will appoint the Integrity Commission on Monday-after a one-year hiatus and, presumably, this Commission will investigate Hart.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will pilot a motion on the adjournment of this afternoon’s sitting of the House of Representatives seeking to have the remaining members of the UDECOTT board to resign.
Pressure and more pressure.
There is a public outcry against the statement by Housing Minister Emily Gaynor Dick-Forde who cried shame on Hart’s detractors. Manning sidesteps her outburst, stating that it was her personal views. The Information Minister admits that the public is very, very angry about the Calder Hart issue. There is talk about a motion of no-confidence in Manning’s leadership by Keith Rowley’s Diego Martin West constituency.
However, at the press conference the Prime Minister adroitly bobbed and weaved as he parried questions, never giving a straight answer.
He was not an investigator. There were people to do that job. He had not seen the Bob Lindquist Report into UDECOTT.
He told reporters that he himself was investigated on two occasions by the Attorney General and cleared and also five times by the Integrity Commission.
It was a slick performance as he wriggled and slipped and slid as a savvy zangee.