A political election-year witch hunt, says the Opposition UNC.
But silence from the ruling PNM. Those were the reactions to the arrest of UNC Mayaro/Rio Claro corporation chairman Glen Ram yesterday in connection with an allegation of soliciting a $1,500 bribe from a contractor.
A statement from the Police Service confirmed a councillor was arrested at the corporation and “was expected” to be charged with allegedly corruptly agreeing to and receiving a $1,500 bribe in June 2018.
Corporation officials said Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau officers who came to the corporation requested Ram, 46, to accompany them. He was asked to leave behind personal belongings- cell phone, wallet etc—and taken to ACIB’s Port-of-Spain office for questioning.
Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein said he had “gotten wind” of the situation after leaving a Sangre Grande function yesterday, but could not comment.
However, UNC whip David Lee said, “The UNC doesn’t stand for any wrong doing and all citizens are deserving of due process, justice and fair-play. But this has all the clear markings of what’s emerged in recent weeks as the PNM’s election year lock up plan which they’ve been talking about. It’s apparently their only clear strategy to win elections. “
“It’s obvious the PNM is under pressure. Perhaps they feel this is a way they can win the Mayaro corporation which they covet. They probably feel if they can take down a UNC person every week, they have a chance - but they’re seem to be grasping at straws. There’s been an ongoing narrative by the PNM, in and out of Parliament that they were going ‘lock somebody up.’ In recent weeks we’ve seen the beginning of this plan taking hold. It would also be the height of naivety to ignore the fact that this is an election year.”
“We recall that before the 2002 elections they charged seven UNC members including Basdeo Panday, Finbar Ganga and Dr Tim Gopeesingh, and items were found in minister Sadiq Baksh’s water tank - so there’s a history of this behaviour. But the people have seen and felt what life is like under this Rowley Government and they’re fed up, frustrated, and angry.”
Lee said he found it curious that Wednesday’s development occurred after the Privy Council/Malcolm Jones ruling which had generated wide discussion.
“The PNM has attempted distraction after distraction to deflect attention from their incompetence. We wouldn’t be surprised if they use every tool at their disposal to continue these attempts. But UNC remains focused on holding them accountable to the people.”
Sources said yesterday, letters making certain allegations had been sent by a person from Mayaro to various high-level state officials last year.
Ram has been a councillor for over 20 years. He represents the Charuma/Biche district. He recently put in his nomination for Local Government polls when UNC’s nominations closed in April.
Local Government sources said if Ram was charged he didn’t have to step down as a councillor since he was elected. But they said the party will have to make a call on whether he stays as corporation chairman, if charged. If he steps down, corporation vice chairman—Vedaish Maharaj—will act as chairman until elections.
Ram appeared last month before a Parliamentary Joint Select Committee—with officials of other corporations—in an inquiry into Financial Oversight and Financial Management Systems at Municipal Corporations. Among information, Mayaro/Rio Claro corporation officials said a donation register was created to record public donations in response to the 2018 floods and the corporation doesn’t accept monetary donations from private individuals.