(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has come under fire for his “attack” on Integrity Commission (IC) chairman Dr Rajendra Ramlogan.
Both Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally and the National Transformation Alliance (NTA) yesterday issued releases on the heels of Rowley taking jabs at the Integrity Commission.
And IC chairman Rajendra Ramlogan said last night that he will not respond to the Prime Minister.
In response to questions from the Express, Ramlogan responded via WhatsApp:
“My term as Chairman of the IC ends on January 11, 2024. According to Section 35 of the Integrity in Public Life Act, I cannot comment on any investigation. Further, I do not believe that the Office of the Chairman of the IC should ever engage in debating the opinions of persons in public life. The duty of the Commission is to be independent and impartial and engage in its deliberations without fear or favour.
“The Commission is a constitutionally established body whose primary duty is to the people of Trinidad and Tobago. It is my opinion that the evidence proves that this Commission has done a great deal with its limited resources. Please read our 2022 Annual Report and the forthcoming 2023 Annual Report, which would provide the relevant factual basis for assessing the work of the 17th Commission during my time in office.”
The Integrity Commission had issued a statement indicating that its budgetary allocation was cut by $58 million, and this constrained it to initiate proceedings in the High Court on December 28 to determine the intent and meaning of the relevant provisions of the Integrity in Public Life Act (IPLA).
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Rowley took issue with the commission’s release and, in particular, its chairman.
He said, “This is an interesting perspective, having regard to the number of investigations which I am personally aware have been launched by the very said Integrity Commission, including more than one in relation to myself, and in particular, a very recent investigation which was launched on November 23rd, 2023 and concluded on December 29th, 2023 with respect to a matter which had previously been investigated and reinvestigated with no finding of a breach of the Act.
“I permit myself to posit that maybe the issue is far too many ill-advised and politically motivated investigations have been embarked upon by the Integrity Commission and more circumspect investigations need to be conducted in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Act.”
Relentless assault
Rambally said yesterday that this was a “reprehensible attack” on the Integrity Commission as he noted the commission is an independent body.
“It is deeply troubling that a democratically elected leader, accountable to the citizens of our nation, would stoop to such levels in an effort to compromise the very essence of independent oversight. This relentless assault on our institutions erodes public trust and sets a dangerous precedent for the future of our democracy,” he said.
Rambally said citizens who value the principles of democracy should condemn Rowley’s actions in the strongest possible terms, and called on Rowley to “cease these baseless attacks and allow the Integrity Commission to carry out its duties without interference”.
The NTA, headed by Gary Griffith, said that “Rowley has overseen three investigations into the acquisition of legal firearms, seemingly as part of the ‘Get Gary’ campaign, without any discernible success”.
“It is disconcerting that such an attack stems from the fact that two separate and distinct Integrity Commissions, composed of different individuals, chose to investigate him, and he is acting as if he believes he is somehow above being investigated,” the NTA added.
The NTA said further that the public should also take note of the “subtle racial dog whistle” being blown by Rowley as he suggests the Integrity Commission, which is headed by Prof Ramlogan, has a political alignment with those politically opposed to the PNM, when he said, “The Integrity Commission, acting in concert with others, is deliberately attempting to tarnish my reputation”, and that their actions are “politically motivated investigations”.
The NTA said the Prime Minister’s actions not only undermine the credibility of an essential democratic institution but also raise serious questions about the principles of transparency and accountability within his administration.
