President Ramotar should take a page
out of the T&T PM’s book
DEAR EDITOR,
It seems as if Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister , Kamla Persad-Bissessar, is a no nonsense Prime Minister and President Donald Ramotar should take a page out of her book and deal with his ministers when they slip and do not live up to the high office of ministers of government and other important offices.
Persad-Bissessar last Tuesday fired Glen Ramadharsingh Minister of the People and Social Development following report of disorderly conduct by him while he was a passenger in an aircraft from Tobago to mainland Trinidad. The Minister was accused of assaulting a flight attendant when he tried to grab her blouse to read her name and threatened to make representation to dismiss the 25-year-old attendant.
Although the Minister apologized for his action which he said was due to the fact that he was “tired and stressed out”, the Prime Minister said that his behaviour was unacceptable and she cannot tolerate Ministers acting in such a manner. A 12th minister, Jack Warner, left of his own volition amidst allegations of financial impropriety, following the Concacaf Ethics Committee report.
Of the 11 fired, four were axed in response to specific allegations. In May 2011, Mary King became the first Minister to be dismissed by the first female Prime Minister, following allegations of conflict of interest in the award of a contract. Next in line was Minister in the Ministry of National Security Collin Partap in August 2012, following allegations that he refused to take a breathalyser test after leaving a nightclub. A month later, Justice Minister Herbert Volney was given the boot for allegedly misleading the Cabinet over the interpretation of a new law. A few were dismissed for non-performance.
Apart from controversies surrounding road accidents involving Ministers there have been several allegations of wrongdoing by Government Ministers, including dishonesty, but as far as I am aware there were no proper investigations into these allegations.
Oscar Ramjeet