Tag Archives: Abuse

Finance, General T&T, Oil and Gas, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, Recession

Recession was predictable

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By Raffique Shah
December 07, 2015

Raffique ShahThis recession did not creep up on us like the proverbial thief in the night.

It was long in the making. In fact, from as far back as the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, when Clico collapsed and the price of oil plunged from a brief high of US $140 a barrel to $30, informed, patriotic citizens were warning governments to go easy on the wild spending, to set aside more savings in the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund, to wean the population off dependency on subsidies, and most of all to diversify the economy from its over-reliance on oil, gas and petrochemicals.
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Finance, General T&T, Media, Parliament, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Imbert: PP raided NGC of $14b cash

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…Used Green and Unemployment Funds as collateral

By Richard Lord
December 05, 2015 – guardian.co.tt

Colm ImbertFinance Minister Colm Imbert says the former PP government raided the National Gas Company (NGC) of almost $14 billion in cash. He made the claim while presenting three motions for debate in the House of Representatives yesterday.

The motions seek to increase the ceiling for government borrowing by $50 billion under the Development Loans Act, External Loans Act and the Guarantee of Loans (Companies) Act.
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Crime in T&T, General T&T, Law, Media, Opposition Party, UNC

Workers caught back-dating deals

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New EFCL board unearths secret operation

By Darren Bahaw and Renuka Singh
November 14, 2015 – guardian.co.tt

CorruptionA secret contract millhouse was discovered at the Education Facilities Company Ltd (EFCL) in Maraval, and armed guards have been called in to secure a mountain of potentially damning evidence which points to the illegal manufacturing of backdated tender documents worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The discovery was made one day after the new board of the state-owned company suspended its Chief Executive Officer Kiran Shah and Chief Operating Officer Sharma Maharaj over claims of impropriety.
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China, corruption, Finance, General T&T, Health, Opposition Party, Parliament, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Scale of squandermania mind-boggling

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By Raffique Shah
October 19, 2015

Raffique ShahIf a mere ten percent of the sums of money quoted by almost every new PNM minister as having gone to waste or astray under the previous government is factual, then at least a billion dollars was squandered or stolen during the tenure of the People’s Partnership.

If the ministers were accurate and truthful in their allegations of profligacy, then an astounding ten billion dollars, at least, found its way into the bank accounts of assorted thieves and accomplices.
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Court, General T&T, Law, Media, PNM, UNC

Anand getting $$ from flawed children law— AG

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By Radhica Sookraj
October 14, 2015 – guardian.co.tt

Anand RamloganFormer attorney general Anand Ramlogan is remaining tight-lipped about accusations he was profitting from civil lawsuits brought against the State because of flawed legislation passed by the People’s Partnership government.

The accusation was made during the budget debate on Monday by Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi in reference to the Children’s Community Residen­ces, Foster Care and Nurseries Act.
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corruption, General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

WASA now saddled with $1.6b deficit

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Guardian
October 14, 2015 – guardian.co.tt

WASAPublic Utilities Minister Ancil Antoine says the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is “burdened with massive debt and (is) financially strapped for funds.”

He said the state-owned utility company was currently operating with deficit is $1.6 billion and its receivables were $33.9 million.
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General T&T, Opposition Party, Parliament, People's Partnership, PNM, Politics, UNC

Up today, down tomorrow

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By Raffique Shah
October 12, 2015

Raffique ShahI switched on my television last Friday just in time to see and hear a stern-looking House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George say to former minister and current MP for Caroni Central Bhoe Tewarie, “You have three seconds to wrap up…starting now!”

I did a double-take, wondering if I hadn’t mistakenly tuned in to the Western channel rather than Parliament, some wild-west movie in which the “fastest” gunman in town gives an impossible ultimatum to his adversary.
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Elections, General T&T, Media, Opposition Party, PNM, Politics, UNC

GISL, CNMG—‘A big waste’ of $$

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By Gail Alexander
October 11, 2015guardian.co.tt

Minister of Communications, Maxie CuffieA Government Information Services Ltd (GISL) CEO was also hired as a consultant for a state company which bought him an SUV vehicle, and a CNMG freelancer was collecting “four salaries” under the past People’s Partnership (PP) administration, Communication Minister Maxie Cuffie revealed yesterday.
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General T&T, Media, PNM, Politics, Racism Watch, UNC

Small group ‘fanning the flames’ of race in T&T—UWI lecturer

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By Rhonda Krystal Rambally
October 04, 2015 – guardian.co.tt

PeopleAnthropologist Dr Dylan Kerrigan says racist posts on social networking site Facebook are a cultural manifestation of the political climate and is suggestive of how T&T’s society might become.

He described this cultural manifestation as “dangerous” and attributed this to failing social and educational institutions, the media, disconnected and irresponsible politicians and a lack of general critical thinking among the population.
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Elections, General T&T, Integrity Commission, PNM, Politics, UNC

Keith Rowley and the Coercive State

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By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 27, 2015

Dr. Selwyn R. CudjoeSometimes our public officials act in incredible silly ways that are entirely incomprehensible to the ordinary citizen. Dr. Keith Rowley, the leader of the PNM, is locked in a close fight with the UNC, the governing party, for the leadership of the country. Fifteen days before the election the Integrity Commission (IC) demands that he produces certain documents within that period or face the prospect of prosecution.
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