Finance Minister Winston Dookeran must explain why Attorney General Anand Ramlogan's department was allocated almost $200 million for 2011 and 2012 to pay legal fees for external assistance, says PNM chief whip Marlene McDonald, "Who is the A-team feeding at the trough of the Attorney General? Mr Minister, you need to explain! T&T needs an explanation!" McDonald said in Parliament yesterday. Speaking in the Lower House's 2012 budget debate, McDonald said the budget was "one of the worst budget statements" she had ever seen.
Noting a 2012 allocation of $94.9 million for the Attorney General's office to pay legal fees, McDonald said that included $50 million for forensic fees, $33 million for retaining local and foreign experts, $3 million for similar expenses and $8.5 million for 'other expenses'. "Whatever 'other' means...As a former student of accounts I know when you put 'other' and 'miscellaneous' and 'contingencies' I know you have problems in there. Go and start looking. What is the 'other' involving this $8.5 million?" McDonald asked. She added: "The minister needs to define what is the 'other,' The nation needs to understand what is being derived from this $50 million in forensic fees, "What you'll get from $33 million being paid as retainers to foreign and local attorneys."
McDonald said the Integrity Commission, the official body to investigate public officials, only received $25.7 million of which payment for legal fees was only $2.5 million. She said that figure was previously $720,000. McDonald added: "They (Integrity Commission) asked for a little more as they are being squeezed to carry out their duties and functions. "Yet this Attorney General spent $108.9 million in 2011, so who is feeding at the trough? The Finance Minister must justify this total of almost $200 million in legal fees over 2011 and 2012 by the AG's department."
McDonald, former community development minister, rebutted Government' accusation on Monday about racial discrimination under the PNM in the scholarship bursary fund under the then community development ministry. McDonald said she temporarily closed the programme when she became minister in 2008 for her to get a better idea of what it involved and to restructure it. She said she removed herself as minister from the process which was handled by a team headed by Wayne Wood and "proper systems were" implemented.
McDonald said while the business community publicly supported the state of emergency, they privately urged the PNM to try to get rid of it due to economic losses it was causing them. "But they 'fraid the Government. If it was the PNM, they would have been protesting," McDonald added. She dismissed proposed tourism plans for Laventille, saying such plans by the UNC administration in 1996 had failed. "Yet this Government is coming back to do it. But you stereotype the people of the area, deem it a hotspot and arrest youths without evidence, We don't trust you. You're not credible," McDonald added. She said there was unrealistically projected growth and revenue in the budget, considering global scenarios and Government was out of touch with economic realities.