WHODUNNIT – MYSTERY LAND

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