Government's latest corruption bill "won't pass" in a million years.That was stated by Opposition MP for Diego Martin North East, former works and transport minister Colm Imbert during his contribution to debate on a motion to establish a Joint Select Committee to deliberate and report on the proposed legislation.
It was presented for debate in the House of Representatives yesterday by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.The bill seeks to establish a new offence called unjust enrichment.It also seeks to establish an Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate all allegations of corruption in T&T.Imbert said there was no need for such legislation as there already exists the Integrity Commission and other bodies which can investigate allegations of corruption.
The Government has said that while it had the required majority to pas the legislation, it wanted consensus with the Opposition to ensure that good law was passed.But Imbert in his contribution yesterday, said the bill "would not pass in a million years."He said the legislation was seeking to duplicate what already exists.But Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner, in his response, brought the House to laughter when he referred to a comment by former prime minister Patrick Manning who, last year, accused Warner of distributing money to voters in a three-tonne truck in the May 24 general election.
Warner said yesterday that if he used a three-tonne truck before, he would use a six- tonne truck in the future to get rid of the Opposition PNM.Warner said the Government remained committed to passing the legislation.