Senior Political Reporter
Excerpts of the Auditor General’s 2023 report show that an elected MP who isn’t a minister collected approximately $752,000 for rentals of three buildings by three Government Ministries, Oropouche East MP Roodal Moonilal has alleged.
However, Toco/Sangre Grande MP Roger Munro said the three buildings had also been rented by the previous People’s Partnership administration from 2010 to 2015 and the arrangement continued under the PNM, as the costs were up to Valuation Division standards.
Moonilal made the claims yesterday at a UNC media briefing in Chaguanas, where the issues concerning the Government and the Auditor General’s 2023 report were discussed. He asked if the impasse with the Auditor General stemmed from the Government wanting to “hide” certain matters contained in the 2023 report.
Moonilal also accused the Government of failing to give the Auditor General accurate information and later trying to “cook the books” to show a bright picture.
“I have in my possession what I verily believe to be excerpts from the Auditor General’s report and this may well explain why they must cook the books,” he said.
Reading from Chapter Five of the report, which is titled Payment out of Public Monies to Members of Parliament, Moonilal said, “MPs receiving public monies outside of their salary! It’s remarkable, a particular MP, whose name is in the report, receiving for property rental, $225,378 in 2023.”
He alleged that it was reported in writing from the Finance Ministry that the MP was only receiving rent for one building.
“When the Auditor General investigated, it was discovered this MP was receiving another rent of $216,527 for a building for the Agriculture Ministry that wasn’t previously reported,” he said.
Moonilal said the MP was also receiving $310,500 in rent from the Finance Ministry.
“What madness is this? They gave the Auditor General completely inaccurate information even about themselves! Why are they hiding that this MP makes every year about a total of approximately $752,000 from the Government? When you break that down and divide it by 12, he receives more income per month than the Prime Minister. Is that why they’re trying to hide?” he asked.
However, Munro subsequently explained: “The buildings were available and prices were up to standard with the Government’s Valuation Division Department so the rental arrangement was entered into again for the buildings.”
He said he believed mention might have been made of the rentals in the previous Auditor General’s reports.
“I don’t know why this issue is coming up now, but it seems to be the ‘politics’ going on,” he said.