Of Emailgate and Rabbit Holes

At last Thursday’s Post Cabinet Media Briefing, the Prime Minister spoke extensively on the issue of the Emailgate investigation recently reported by the Police to have been concluded.
The Police reported that the DPP had determined that the evidence obtained could not sustain any charges and that the authenticity of the emails could neither be confirmed nor denied. Why? Because steps to have verification were taken too late (9 months after the purported generation of the emails).
The Prime Minister expressed his disappointment with the closure of the matter. “It is too late now to try and find out anything about these emails because we waited too long to confirm and certify”, the PM said. As usual, he found it possible to blame the UNC for the outcome and vowed not to follow the Opposition down their ‘rabbit hole’ of claiming vindication.
There are many rabbit holes in this saga that must be closed.
 
The Emails and Delay in Investigation
After congratulating himself as a champion against wrongdoing, the PM recounted that he received purported emails alleging a conspiracy among Government Ministers including the Prime Minister to undermine the DPP, the Judiciary and even to murder a journalist.
The allegations supposedly evidenced in these documents were serious criminal allegations involving danger to a person’s life.
Yet, this experienced Parliamentarian, receiving 3-month-old emails, took them to the President who passed it to the Integrity Commission for investigation. Then he waited for his referral to cusumay for exactly 6 months.
The delay – Rabbit hole #1.
 
The President and Integrity Commission – Not the Police
What investigative powers do the President and Integrity Commission have?
The President possesses no investigative powers.
The Integrity Commission has limited powers of investigation in relation to Financial Disclosures by specified Public Officeholders (Part III of the Integrity in Public Life Act, Chap. 22:01), breaches of the Code of Conduct (Part IV of the Act) and in relation to a complaint that a person in public life has a) contravened the Act, b) has a conflict of interest based on registered interests or c) committed an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act” (Part V, section 32 of the Act).
Surely, as a very long-standing Parliamentarian and Minister, the then Opposition Leader must have known that the best place to take such allegations for investigation was neither the President nor the Integrity Commission, but, to the Police. But he chose not to.
This is the same man who as PM never hesitates to remind us that only the Police can investigate and charge anyone for criminal wrongdoing. Surely, this is not something he discovered on entering the PM’s office or residence.
Rabbit Hole #2.
 
What was the Motive?
Of course, the concern to avoid scandal, claimed on Thursday, is obviously questionable, when the then Opposition Leader decided to take the ‘emails’ to “the public, to the Parliament”, yet again not to the Police.
Why was he doing this?
The character of these machinations, openly acknowledged by the current PM on Thursday, point to political chicanery and self-serving political manoeuvre to gain advantage against political adversaries rather ‘reasonable caution’.
Rabbit Hole #3.
 
Filling the Rabbit Holes - Issues for Investigation
 Where did the “emails” come from? Why? What for?
In the last 24 hours I have heard at least 3 suggestions on traditional and social media that the contents of the ‘emails’ which the PM, AG call evidence and a former UNC Minister calls ‘truth’ may have been obtained by and from people ‘within Government’ or ‘the state’s security apparatus’.
This suggests that the contents may have been illegally obtained. In the criminal court, evidence even if illegally obtained may still be admissible.
Did the Police focus their investigation exclusively on trying to prove the validity of the ‘emails’? If there is evidence other than inconclusive ‘emails’, that must be pursued.  
There is need for full and conclusive investigation. That is how the Rabbit Holes – the gaps – can be filled.

What this tells about the nature of Politics and Politicians
Politicians are desperate to get into power or hold on to it. None of them have been vindicated with the closing of the emailgate police investigation.

• Did one side obtain ‘files’ to buss on the other and use it as ammunition in their bid to get them out and replace them?
• Was that ‘ammunition’ illegally obtained or fabricated?
• Did those with the ‘ammunition’ deliberately refuse to take information to the Police for criminal investigation as part of their own conspiracy to bring down a sitting Government?
• Did the alleged conspiracy in the ‘emails’ really exist as the PNM and Volney are suggesting?

We, the People, cannot just say well that’s how politicians are. They are 2 gangs fighting for the turf of being Party-In-Power and we should leave it alone.
We must demand full disclosure and exposure of the TRUTH regarding this most heinous affair in governance in Commonwealth governance both sides claim.  
It cannot be left to the PNM and UNC to try and make self-serving political mileage from it.
It must not just be allowed to go away. It must be fully investigated and let the chips fall where they may.
 
Clyde Weatherhead
A Citizen Fighting for
Democratic Renewal
 
July 21, 2019

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