AG declares war on corruption under PNM

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan yesterday declared war on People’s National Movement (PNM) financiers as he announced that he is going after state board members under the former regime. Ramlogan, who vowed to file “lawsuit after lawsuit,” told party suporters gathered at the Mid Centre Mall, Chaguanas, that he was under attack by the PNM because he is tackling corruption at all levels. He said he is going to recover millions spent by former State boards.

With his fist clenched, Ramlogan declared: “I ain’t going anywhere.” Prior to the start of yesterday’s rally, Ramlogan, flanked by National Security Minister Jack Warner, led a march into the carpark accompanied by tassa drummers and supporters bearing banners supporting Ramlogan as AG.

Supporters, clad in their UNC t-shirts, waved flags and banners showing their support. However, one placard stood out among the thousands. A man dressed in a yellow shirt waved a placard calling on the Government to “Fix the Property Tax and Section 34.”

The AG told the crowd he had served pre-action protocol letters on the former members of the Malcolm Jones-led Petrotrin board to recover some $1.2 billion for the failed gas to liquids plant. He said $2.4 billion was spent on the plant and “today we have to sell it for scrap metal.”

Ramlogan said he is suing the Calder Hart-led Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) board to recover some $465 million. He also put Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London on notice that he would be going after the THA to recover losses from the Scarborough Hospital. “We are not going to turn a blind eye to corruption in Tobago,” Ramlogan declared.

He also vowed to go after the Ken Julien-led University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) board to recover money spent to renovate a guest house which was used by Reverend Juliana Pena, spiritual advisor to former Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

Ramlogan assured that he had not forgotten the suffering of Hindu Credit Union members and Clico policy holders. He said that next month he would be filing legal action against former HCU president Harry Harnarine and by year’s end he would be pursuing legal action against former CL Financial directors Lawrence Duprey and Andre Montiel on behalf of the Central Bank.

He added that he would be suing former T&TEC Chairman Devan Ramlal over the public utility’s street lighting programme. Ramlogan, commenting on the Friday’s meeting between members of the Joint Trade Union Movement, Movement for Social Justice leader David Abdulah and PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley, said: “A PNM by any other name is a PNM. They could disguise it how they want, they could dress it up how they want but, they cannot hide that all of them pushing one head.”