The Integrity Commission recently closed investigation into an alleged complaint against PNM MP Marlene McDonald after the commission did not find evidence to support the claim, a senior source has confirmed.
Correspondence on the matter was issued by the commission in early March, sources close to McDonald said.
McDonald was removed from Government for almost two years since March 2016, being hired and fired twice. However, Prime Minister Keith Rowley on March l, again reappointed her—this time as Minister in the Public Administration and Communication Ministry.
During the week of her appointment, there was information circulating that the Integrity Commission had concluded a final pending matter concerning her. However, when contacted then, commission officials said they did not discuss matters publicly.
Sources, however, confirmed the commission in a March 7 correspondence stated the investigation is now "closed".
It was confirmed to the T&T Guardian that the commission was unable to find any evidence of value to support the allegation against her and therefore closed the probe.
The allegation was made in 2014, reportedly on the Calabar Foundation and other issues. It was alleged McDonald breached the Integrity Commission Act (chp 22-01).
In the last two years, several allegations were put to the commission and police concerning McDonald, including on the Calabar Foundation, housing, and regarding employment at her Port-of-Spain South office, concerning close relative(s).
The Integrity Commission had exonerated McDonald in December 2013 on the Calabar Foundation issue. In March 2015 the commission reopened the probe, citing receipt of new information.
On October 25, 2016, the commission wrote McDonald exonerating her on certain allegations. However, she remained the subject of a commission investigation on another matter which was not stated.
In Parliament last Friday, McDonald brushed off queries on the Integrity Commission's recent letter and did not reply yesterday.
Calabar matter dogged McDonald
•The Calabar matter particularly dogged McDonald since March 2016 when Rowley removed her from the Cabinet pending the probes by the commission and police on the assorted issues.
•Last June, after McDonald was cleared on most of the allegations, Rowley appointed her Public Utilities Minister.
• The PM fired her three days later after community leader Cedric "Burkie" Burke" was among guests at her swearing-in function. Burke, one of her Sea Lots constituents, was not among official guests. Rowley noted public talk about it and distanced his Government from it.
•After that, there had been one matter before the commission plus the ongoing police probe into the Calabar Foundation issue.
•Subsequent to McDonald's July dismissal, PNM sources said enquiries were made last August to the commission on the status of the "unknown" matter.
After Rowley appointed her in Public Administration, he ducked a recent question in Parliament on whether McDonald was cleared by the commission and police,.
After McDonald was made a minister on March 1, T&T Police Services' spokesman Ellen Lewis subsequently confirmed the police probe which began in 2016 continued. Yesterday police officials said the matter was "still on."
That probe was initiated in March 2016 after Fixin' T&T's Kirk Waithe requested police investigation into the establishment and running of the Calabar Foundation, monies paid to it, and its operations.