UNC's Kamla questions Bridgid over million $$ Tobago townhouse!

Trinidad and Tobago: Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar is calling on House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George to declare whether her husband owns a 'million-dollar townhouse developed by a contractor, a close friend of T&T Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

At the UNC's Monday night forum, Kamla Persad-Bissessar stated that Ann-isette George must tell the country whether she is 'conflicted' concerning businessman and developer Allan Warner.

It was alleged that Warner is a personal friend of the Prime Minister's and that Ann-isette George vetoed an attempt in the Parliament by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal to raise concerns over the contractor's relationship with the ruling administration and People's National Movement (PNM). The Siparia MP stated Warner had become the real estate agent and contractor for the bureaucracy of the PNM and alleged Newman George, husband of the House Speaker, owned a 'million-dollar townhouse' in Warner's 'Inez Gate' development in Tobago.

This issue led to the Opposition calling on President Paula-Mae Weekes to state her own reasons for selecting the King, following the dispute over President Weekes's handling of the shortlist of nominees for the position of Commissioner Police (CoP), which is now vacant.

The Opposition has also questioned Warner's private connection to the Maxine King, who has been appointed as the member of the Police Service Commission (PolSC).

The Opposition was disappointed last month in its attempt to remove President Weekes from office through a motion in Parliament.

Persad-Bissessar on Monday again inquired about King's connection to Rowley's 'best friend Allan Warner' and Inez Investments, and Annisette-George preventing Moonilal of articulating in Parliament.

She stated photos showed 46 townhouses in the growth in Shirvan, Tobago, and questioned whether Newman George, a former chairman of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), granted one.

Persad-Bissessar stated the Opposition would explain more in due course and declared a 'warning' to Rowley and Warner, saying it possessed 'a file' on the matter.

"The nation was yet to be informed as to what had caused the collapse of the PolSC," she added.

Questions have been asked as to whether a high-ranking official had interfered in the selection process for a CoP and whether President Weekes had facilitated a meeting with former PolSC chairman Bliss Seepersad and an unidentified official.

President Weekes has been asked to explain a merit list sent to the Office of the President by the PolSC, which was returned.

By refusing to account to the public, the Office of the President has turned into a sub-office of Balisier House'.The Parliament last week debated five nominees for the PSC, with the UNC objecting to three persons on the grounds of possible conflicts of interest-King, Maxine Attong and Ian Ramdhanie. All five members were yesterday appointed by the President.