Since it is a crime in T&T to offer a bribe, the Police Commissioner must also probe bribery allegations against Works Minister Jack Warner and the Comptroller of Customs must probe allegations how suitcases of US currency were imported into T&T in the FIFA issue, PNM Senator Fitzgerald Hinds has said.Referring to the Warner/FIFA matter in the Senate yesterday, Hinds also brought the Anti-Corruption Squad and Fraud Squad into the picture.Saying Government was attempting to "hide, protect and obfuscate when one of its own is being called into question," Hinds added:"I call on the Prime Minister to take action against any member of her Government against whom these allegations have been made and in so doing she will demonstrate her Cabinet's commitment to dealing with crime.In broad reference to the current FIFA issue, Hinds had frequent skirmishes with People's Partnership (PP) Senate leader Subhas Panday and also clashed several times with the acting Senate president on the matter.Hinds spoke during debate on legislation to provide for the vesting of functions and powers to the Justice Minister.The bill transfers the power of certain laws-from criminal injuries compensation law to Police Complaints Authority-from National Security to the Justice Ministry.Hinds said PP's manifesto had promised a Justice Ministry in 30 days, yet work for that was now being done."I'm not seeing them manifesting justice," Hinds added.Noting the FIFA issue, Hinds said: "What is Government and the Prime Minister doing about it when one of her ministers is being accused internationally, bringing T&T into disrepute, absolutely nothing."
Hinds asked: "If someone alleged to the Justice Minister that a minister offered a bribe or requested a bribe, whether in T&T or outside, a matter naturally covered by the Proceeds of Crime Act, as bribe-taking is against T&T law, what should be done to demonstrate this will to deal with crime?"What if someone reported that to the Prime Minister rather than the Justice Minister, what should she do as Cabinet's head?"Accusing Government of applying double standards, Hinds noted an April 22, 2005, a statement by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar during a Parliament debate while she was Siparia MP.Hinds said she had called on former prime minister Patrick Manning to refer former PNM ministers Franklin Khan and Eric Williams to the Fraud Squad and Anti Corruption Bureau regarding allegations at that time.He said Persad-Bissessar had said those units were the authority which had jurisdiction over matters, such as bribery."Today she's the Prime Minister (so) we have to wonder now where is the consistency if today serious allegations are being made against a minister, but we are being told of the court standard, 'innocent until proven guilty.'"Noting that it is a crime in T&T to offer a bribe, Hinds called on the Police Commissioner to probe bribery allegations against Warner apart from the international investigations occurring "since a crime against T&T may have been committed."
Calling for the Comptroller of Customs to check whether large sums of US currency were imported into T&T without declaration, Hinds added:"If not where did the money come from to fund it locally? These are issues which the Justice and National Security Ministers must address."PP's Panday interjected: " Those are merely allegations. You using allegations to ask the comptroller to investigate?"Hinds began to reply. Senate vice president Lyndira Oudit halted him, saying:"I'm going to ask that those statements be striked (sic) from the record simply because these matter are not under the purview of this bill."Hinds sought clarification on which statements and on the basis for that. Thaat caused protest from PP's David Abdulah and Panday with PNM senator Faris Al Rawi interjecting on Hinds' behalf.When Al Rawi persisted, PP senators, loudly desk-pounded, trying to halt him. Oudit also chastised Al Rawi for standing at the same time as the two PP senators.Al Rawi noted Abdulah and Panday were allowed to stand while Hinds was making a point. He said Government was "on a mission to curtail Opposition voices."Oudit told senators the striking out would apply to reference of private persons who were not members of the House.She said Hinds made reference to "a gentleman." Oudit did not instruct the press to expunge any specific statements.Hinds said Government was beleaguered, "having lost one of one their own recently and at great risk of losing another."Citing double standards, he added: "We had another senator called Mary King here up to recently. She's not here anymore."'Innocent till proven guilty', yet she's gone. I see no dissimilarity between the case I've alluded to and what existed in Mary King's case."