WHODUNNIT – MYSTERY LAND
Some time ago it was popular language to refer to mystery or even horror films in which the scriptwriters left the revelation of the culprit of some gruesome act to the last few frames of the movie keeping audiences in enraptured suspense to the very end.
It appears the old blockbuster movie writers have crept into the ceaseless drama that is our political landscape.
Just a look at today’s headlines take us into the mysterious world that appears more incomprehensible than the last instalment: Who did it? The First Leak, Plot to Clear Marlene.
The hot topics – Ownerless HDC-CGGC Sweetheart Deal, Who Leaked the Leak to Person of Interest in 6-year old Investigation? NiQuan Does What Petrotrin and Government Couldn’t – Or Could They?
Well behind it all are the same old worn out themes – Corruption, No Transparency or Accountability, Private Sector Business Acumen Superior to State.
THAT HDC-CGGC DEAL
A classic whodunnit tale if ever there was one.
The largest ever housing contract involving the state’s Housing Corporation, and NOBODY knows how it got there – total mystery.
The sweeteners including tax exemptions, immediate upfront payment of the entire contract cost, most expensive per unit floor space, guarantees against for loss for termination and more goodies.
Yet, the Finance Ministry, Attorney General, Housing Minister, the PM who was Housing Minister when the outline agreement was finalised, the entire Cabinet, the HDC Board, like Shultz in the Stalag 13 comedy tv all claim – I see nothing; I know nothing!!!
Some days ago, I asked: “The HDC is accountable to at least one JSC. Cabinet is accountable to Parliament. Can we expect that Parliament will investigate the HDC-Chinese Co contract and it’s cancellation by Cabinet?”.
Today, a columnist hoped that the “excellent opportunity to pursue transparency and accountability” would be grasped by Government.
NiQuan RAISES $120M US
Remember the failed Gas-to-Liquids Plant that was part of the disastrous upgrade project at Petrotrin? The same project which saddled the company with an enormous $13B debt that it couldn’t repay and to its closure and a mothballed refinery.
Remember that the same badly engineered plant was sold in another deal to buyers just months before the closure of the refinery and the new owners of this plant were guaranteed a supply of Gas to turn into Liquids.
So, the mysterious plot thickens, the new owners can raise more than the $100M US they said it would take to get the plant up and running by the end of 2019. But, the Government and Petrotrin couldn’t raise a cent and the new owner does not own a single gas field or well.
 I almost asked where are they getting gas from to process, since there isn’t enough to supply the gas plants in Pt. Lisas and ALNG Train One is threatened. But I remembered that NiQuan with a former State Board Chairman aboard was guaranteed gas through a new state company (not NGC) as part of the deal.
This smells kind of like the honey in the HDC-CGGC deal. Again, I am forced to remember the 4-year old amended Procurement Law is still not effective and anything goes.
THE LEAK, THE LEAK - NOT WASA
A Government Minister, under investigation in a million-dollar pay-out to an unregistered phantom company for the past six (6) years is arrested and charged with corruption charges in a tight-lipped ‘secret’ operation that periodically held media attention over the 6-year period.
Suddenly, shortly before his departure on an overseas mission, the PM claiming again like Shultz – I know nothing, I see nothing, suddenly recalled that a month before the arrest the same Minister (fired on her third strike) confided in him that she was ‘tipped off’ of her pending or impending arrest by the Opposition Leader in the tea room or at an office or place unknown.
In dramatic style, the Opposition offers a counter-plot – this is all a ruse to clear the accused Minister by exposing Police bungling or collusion with Opposition to remove a Minister.
Well, why not? Wasn’t it another Opposition Leader who presented hand-written emails which the Police say “cannot be substantiated” to Parliament in what was not a plot to remove a sitting Prime Minister and other Ministers?
Hollywood eh have nothing on we!
Spy vs Spy and cloak and dagger Whodunnit in imitable Trini dramatic style designed to keep the audience glued to the screen and guessing who the real culprit is. Maybe the butler did it. Or the mysterious stranger.
So how do we make sense of all these mysterious revelations and intriguing plot machinations.
It has been suggested that such high matters of state are best left to those clothed with armour of Parliamentary privilege, not available to the common man or ordinary citizen whose tax dollars are footing the bill for all the sweetheart deals and Westwood Park style plot allegations and counter-allegations suited for Dallas or a Bollywood or Nollywood soap opera.
However, most simple folk are indeed capable of seeing right from wrong and knowing when corruption and political intrigue does not benefit their interests.
The suspense must be ended and We, the People, must demand not handouts from the PNM or UNC. We must demand accountability even at the risk of being charged for sedition for daring to question the powers-that-be and inciting disaffection when we should be justly damn vex at the games being played.
​
Clyde Weatherhead
A Citizen Fighting for
Democratic Renewal of
Our Society and Good
Governance.
15 September 2019 

At yesterday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, despite expressing the hope that this matter would not divert attention from the announcement of assistance to Dorian-decimated Bahamas, PM Rowley devoted most of his presentation to a return to the issue of the Sedition Act.
The PM opened by trying to clarify his initial remarks made at the Police Service function on Independence Day, criticizing the media for not reporting his position accurately.
He read from a newspaper report of his remarks that day, however.
His main point yesterday was that despite his response to what he claimed was a call for repeal of the Sedition Act merely on the basis of its antiquity (which was not the point of most who commented on the Act and its use or abuse), was need to focus on “what exactly the law was meant to deal or is dealing with”.
He opined that T&T is a “very diverse society, full of potential fault lines and fractures whether it is ethnic, religious, racial or otherwise and it is for the protection of the groupings in Trinidad and Tobago, the groups of all kind we got to protect ourselves from those minorities, individuals that they might be who may behave in such a way to allow those fault lines to become fractures and this is where we should be look­ing.”.
Need for National Discussion on Sedition Act
I disagree with today’s headlines presenting some media houses’ response to the PM’s presentation yesterday – “No plan to repeal Sedition Act”, “PM digs in on Sedition Act”.
I prefer the headline “Rowley “open” to amending the Sedition Act”.
In fact, the PM made it clear that his remarks yesterday were in response to the national conversation which was proceeding on the Act.
Is this an invitation to a broad national discussion on this piece of legislation and what must be done about it?
I take the PM at his word, to be inviting same. Whether he is will be seen as the discussion proceeds. We must test our political leaders to see whether their word and their actions (deeds) coincide.
This discussion if it is to be useful for the society must be sincere on all sides. It is not a matter of persons “looking for an issue to latch on to”, as the PM most unfortunately put it.
This is a matter of serious national importance for the very reasons expressed by the PM quoted extensively above. This debate is part of developing agreement in this ‘very diverse society’ on the national purpose or at least part of it related to our rights and freedoms.
The Content of the Discussion
Freedom of expression must be protected and encouraged. At the same time, we must protect and safeguard the unity of our nation and prevent turning of ‘fault lines into fractures’ i.e. the incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence against any group within our diversity based on racial, religious, ethnic, or any other basis.
This discussion must focus the parameters of any prohibition of such fomenting of encouragement of such fractures – definitions, thresholds, remedies, while protecting guarantees of freedom of expression.
This is not a simple matter. At the same time, it is not beyond the capability of our people to find the right balance in protecting all groups from hatred, discrimination, hostility or violence.
It is not merely a choice of 1) amend the Sedition Act; 2) repeal the Act and replace it with what or 3) Sedition Act or Hate Speech Laws. This is not a matter of either or.
This is a matter of guaranteeing freedom of speech for all and at the same time guaranteeing groups of our citizens freedom from and protection against discrimination, hate and violence.
This is an opportunity to give real content to the watchword “Tolerance” which we were reminded of in the messages of the top officeholders on the 57th anniversary of our Independence only 7 days ago.
This discussion on the Sedition Act has the potential to contribute to the development of the National Purpose, which was not permitted 57 years ago, but only if it is undertaken with sincerity on all sides including those now inviting the discussion.
Let us all, the people of this nation, take this opportunity to test whether we are being given an opportunity to be genuinely involved in decision-making on this important issue for our democracy and our nation-building project.
Come All. Join the discussion!!!
 
Clyde Weatherhead
A Citizen Fighting for the
Democratic Renewal of our
Society and the Empowerment of
Our People
6 September 2019