Category Archives: UDeCOTT

The Politics of Personal Grievance

By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
June 19, 2008
trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

Dr. Keith RowleyKeith Rowley insists he wishes to clear his name so that his children would know he is an honorable man. The only problem with such a pursuit is this: what happens after he has cleared his name? While his desire is admirable such nobility matters little in politics. I know of no political movement in history that rallied around a party member’s desire to clear his name from infamy. Party members usually rally around causes that crescendo into movements that challenge the foundations of injustice.
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It’s war now

By Lara Pickford-Gordon
Monday, June 9 2008
newsday.co.tt

Dr. Keith Rowley“I will take on from the PM to the cook. I don’t care what office you hold in this country. I don’t care what office you hold in this party. If you challenge my reputation then the war is on,” Member of Parliament for Diego Martin West Dr Keith Rowley announced yesterday as he addressed supporters in his Diego Martin Constituency 4th annual conference at the Pt Cumana Regional Com-plex, Carenage.
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Commission of inquiry to probe Udecott

By Sean Douglas
Saturday, May 24 2008
newsday.co.tt

Patrick ManningPRIME Minister Patrick Manning yesterday agreed to set up a commission on inquiry into the controversial Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) and the practices of the construction industry, in place of the joint select committee (JSC) he had previously proposed.
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Nothing to hide, nothing to fear

By Raffique Shah
Sunday, May 18th 2008

Calder HartI have spoken with Calder Hart only once, when he belatedly responded to a call I had made to UDeCOTT seeking to talk with him on a story I was working on. It turned out that he had been out of the country when I had tried to reach him. He was very polite, even effusive, promising to talk with me anytime, on any matter concerning UDeCOTT. He came across as a journalist’s delight: most people in his position normally refer lowly plebs of the Fourth Estate to some PR “spin doctors”, who, in turn, ask for questions to be formally e-mailed to them, and then take forever to give half-answers.
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Keeping PNM Honest

By Dr. Selwyn R Cudjoe
May 15, 2008

PNMFive months ago, the PNM was elected to serve as the Government of the people of T&T although it received 43 per cent of the votes.

On that November night, after hearing the results of the elections I, among others, streamed down to Balisier House to celebrate yet another victory. We were elated that our party had captured government for another five years.
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UDeCOTT’s Calder Hart Responds

Perfect performer

By Sean Douglas
Thursday, May 15 2008

Calder HartThe Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) is above board, executive chairman Calder Hart said yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain, in a keenly-awaited media conference which drew the focus away from Hart and leant towards the technical details of Udecott’s operations.

Hart led four Udecott directors and six managers to face reporters the day after Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s nod in the Senate for Udecott to be probed by a parliamentary Joint Select Committee (JSC) — but not by a commission of inquiry — after charges of insufficient oversight made by fired Trade Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
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Manning Shoots a Rowdy Messenger

By Raffique Shah
April 27, 2008

Dr. Keith RowleyIf former Trade Minister Dr Keith Rowley is a hooligan who displays ‘wajang’ behaviour, when did these abominable character traits first manifest themselves? Prime Minister Patrick Manning, explaining why he summarily fired the senior minister, told the media that for all of five minutes during a Cabinet committee meeting, Rowley ranted and raved and misbehaved, much to the shock of his colleagues. Pressed by journalists on Rowley’s darker side, Manning said: “It was not the first time. I’ve had to talk with him before.”
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Manning: Why I Fired Rowley

PM Patrick ManningAt yesterday’s post-cabinet news conference, Prime Minister Patrick Manning appeared alone to explain why he fired Rowley. Manning said that he fired Dr. Keith Rowley because of unacceptable ‘hooligan behaviour’ at a meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee of cabinet, and not because of his corruption allegation.

Rowley stated that he was fired because he raised concerns about a lack of cabinet supervision over UDeCOTT’s mega billion dollar projects.
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