The 2020 General Election Thread (AUGUST 10TH)

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Only Neemakarams ?

Zoom what's the score on those injuns in the PNM ?

There are no injuns in the PNM

Wait wait wait...the same neemakarams you gonna vote for on Monday? What ever happen to the blackest party in Trinidad...just happens to be controlled by indians...sad eh

[bluefete]

So all Zoom PNM people downtrodden and poor - according to Tantie Kams.

And only Tantie Kams could bring them out of their suffering.

Racist much?

[bluefete]

And by extension - Let us not forget this from the PNM.

Racist much as well?

[zoom rader]

So all Zoom PNM people downtrodden and poor - according to Tantie Kams.

And only Tantie Kams could bring them out of their suffering.

Racist much?

Why I Support UNC This Time Around

By Dr Selwyn R. Cudjoe
August 04, 2020
In 1955 when I was growing up in Tacarigua Michael Kangalee, who lived in El Dorado, a nearby village, was one of my best friends. We attended Tacarigua A. C. School and were members of the St. Mary's Anglican Church. As soon as the People's National Movement (PNM) and the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) came into being we were forced to take sides. I supported the PNM and Michael supported the DLP.
Michael and I were twelve years old at the time. Our decisions were not based on any objective criteria or the virtues of each party. I did not read the PNM party's brochure fully nor was I super informed about its ideology. I supported PNM because my mother, my neighbors, and our friends did. I suspect that Michael supported the DLP for similar reasons.
Over the years I came to believe that PNM was superior to the other parties that were formed during that period in terms of its political philosophy (that is, its nationalist ideology) and its practice (how it conducted governmental affairs). I have never swerved from that path or belief.
In 2015 I predicted PNM's victory because I thought it was better equipped to govern than the UNC, DLP's successor, which was mired in corruption (or so we were told) and wrong-headed in its political philosophy. I wrote: "One only has to cite Section 34, $30 million dollars given to work not performed, the wholesale arrests of black men on the pretense they had broken state of emergency laws, an obscene amount of money paid to lawyers by the former attorney general….
"Anyone hearing the cries of Gypsy, Dave Persad, Inshan Ishmael, or the dissident members of COP, can only conclude UNC has lost its way and ended up in the clutches of a narrow, partisan minority. Such a shameful internal coup d'état pushed Muslims and other dissenting elements in the party into closer political association with the PNM, a formula that ensured PNM's victory in 1956 and 1961;"
I accused Kamla Persad-Bissessar of turning the PP coalition "into a one-woman directorate" and argued: "There is no doubt that the hostile, recalcitrant minority within the UNC has pushed the party to an extremism that is inconsistent with the progressive democratic traditions of Trinidadians and Tobagonians" (trinicenter.com, September 1, 2015.)
In 2020 UNC removed the negative forces within the party which allowed it to deal better with the aspirations of all Trinbagonians. Kamla emerged as a more mature leader with a broader national horizon although she should avoid specious generalizations. She is abled assisted by the energy, intelligence, and hard work of Jerlean John who will emerge as one of our next national leaders. UNC's candidates are exciting.
I believe UNC is best prepared to deal with the challenges that face Black people today. I do not think Kamla and the UNC like Black people more than PNM leaders but her party would come to recognize that it is in her party's (and the country's) best self-interest to attend to the needs of its Black citizens.
Two days ago Robert Le Hunte referenced the disparities in the financial, justice, and educational sectors that keep Blacks at the bottom of the national ladder.
He writes: "Africans in Trinidad and Tobago do not enjoy the same levels of success as other ethnic groups….Confronting the current reality, however, is the only way meaningful change can be effected….Due to the way in which our society is structured, persons of African descent are often unable to access support systems that help members of other ethnic groups" (Express, July 31).
This raises the question: If the PNM failed to improve the conditions of Black people over the last umpteen years, what leads one to think it would confront these issues in a meaningful way over the next five years? This is a challenge with which UNC must come to grips.
Although PNM began as a movement that was cognizant of the needs of the under-class-Indians and Africans alike—over the years it has come to take the support of Black people for granted. One only has to look at the conditions under which many Black people in depressed communities live to recognize that they have not been the recipients of PNM's loving and tender care.
Sixty years ago Williams and the PNM laid the foundation of modern T&T and set out to create a society in which every creed and race finds an equal place. Today, Kamla and the UNC have an opportunity to close the racial gap, enhance the well-being of Afro-Trinbagonians, make Indo-Trinbagonians feel more at home, and create a society in which there is increased national harmony.
I do not know where Michael is now, what his politics are, or which party he supports. After all these years I hope he has made his political choices based on the quality of the party, what it represents, how it treats his group, and what it means for the future of our society.
I remain a member of PNM but membership of this great institution demands more than blind loyalty. In this day and time, no one should vote for policies that ensure one's enslavement. One should support what's in the best interest of one's group and the society at large. Habit should not be the major criteria for supporting a party.
The election of UNC to office on August 10 offers our society an opportunity to move a step closer to making it more whole which is why I support UNC this time around. I hope UNC constructs a comprehensive program that speaks to the needs of its Black citizens.
Prof. Cudjoe's email address is scudjoe@wellesley.edu. He can he reached @ProfessorCudjoe.
Share your views here...

[http://www]
The Slave Master of Trinidad by Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe

[zoom rader]

So all Zoom PNM people downtrodden and poor - according to Tantie Kams.

And only Tantie Kams could bring them out of their suffering.

Racist much?

http://trinicenter.com/Cudjoe/2020/0408.htm

[zoom rader]

And by extension - Let us not forget this from the PNM.

Racist much as well?

Those are PNM rapist

[aaron17]

And dont forget the golf course woman reference.

[bluefete]

How is it Barry Padarath cannot "remember" the hundreds of thousands of dollars he paid for Tantie Kams?

But Tantie Kams had to come out and say it was repayment for a government credit card.

Get allyuh story straight nah!

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/padarat ... a3cb3372fc

Padarath, relative face financial probes

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath is shown copies of cheques by GMLs Mark Bassant during Padarath’s walkabout in the Buen Intento housing development in Princes Town on Wednesday.

Mark Bassant

Lead Editor, Investigative Desk

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath says he cannot recall why he issued two First Citizens bank cheques totalling TT$135,800 in October 2014 to then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bisssessar while he was her special advisor. The cheques now form part of evidence collected by the T&T Police Service in a case involving the MP and a female relative.

Guardian Media obtained copies of the cheques, detailed cabinet notes and other financial information which we were reliably informed are at the centre of the police probe. Officers have obtained several legal orders over the last few months to peruse several bank accounts in the ongoing case, after alleged suspicious activities related to the MP’s relative were first flagged by the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (FIUTT).

During a walkabout in the Buen Intento housing community in Princes Town on Wednesday, Guardian Media questioned Padarath about the payments made to Persad-Bissessar and if he remembered what they were for.

“I have no recollection for what this would have been for. It is, in fact, legitimate I can tell you that if it is, in fact, legitimate cheques, I cannot recollect this was in 2014 but it would have been totally above board,” Padarath said.

The source of the money and payments are only part of a wider police investigation into a company which is linked to Padarath’s relative.

Documents show that Padarath deposited close to $703,000 from his RBC Financial (Caribbean) Bank account on March 7, 2016, to the relative’s account, also at the same bank, via an account to account transfer of the funds. The complex financial trail then points to the relative setting up several other bank accounts, including two chequing accounts for her company.

According to the financial information obtained over the years, Padarath allegedly made several cheque payments to the relative amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars and, in some cases, she transferred these funds into insurance policies and to her company.

Investigators found that the relative’s company was first registered on January 28, 2011, and had the address of #20 Green Heart Drive, Couva North, Couva, which was the home address of both Padarath and the relative in question.

Documentation also revealed that for the period January 15, 2014-January 26, 2017, the sum of $162,500 was allegedly paid to Padarath via cheques from the relative’s company. There were three cheques for $50,000, $10,000 and $2,500 during that period, all paid on different dates for the three-year period.

When questioned about this payment, Padarath smiled and said, “My only comment to you is that I am an only child and if you look at the date of those cheques, it was my birthday and I am totally above board and there is a clear attempt to sully my name and I am not concerned one bit or the other.”

A money trail tracked by authorities revealed that during the period 2013-2018, just over $15 million passed through the accounts of the relative’s company. Incidentally, under the People’s Partnership government, the company obtained contracts from the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) and Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Limited (PSAEL) in the sum of $3.2 million between the period 2012-2015.


One of the cheques Barry Padarath made out to UNC leader Kamla Persad Bissessar in 2014.

Documents obtained by investigators revealed that the relative’s company secured nine contracts through the PSAEL during the period April 2012-2015. Investigators found that four of the nine contracts were awarded to the company through a merit award system. They also discovered that in January 2011, Rentokil Initial (Trinidad) Limited tendered a bid to furnish, install and service soap dispensers at Petrotrin offices in Pointe-a-Pierre after there was an invitation to tender by PSAEL. They discovered that the contract was granted to the relative’s company, “notwithstanding Rentokil Initial (Trinidad) Limited, which has the ability to perform a similar task, tendered a much lower quote.”

Investigators also noted, “There were two instances where based on the tendering process selection using the lowest bidder criteria, the service providers recommended were not awarded the contract.”

Investigators added that Padarath’s relative’s company was awarded the contract by the Finance and Tenders Committee notwithstanding the fact the bid tendered was doubled the amount quoted by the other service providers.

The EFCL also awarded at least 20 contracts to the relative’s company between September 2011 to September 2014. In some instances, investigators say they were unable to say if work was done on some of the schools that the company was given the contract for and stated that “at least five projects in one way or the other does not contain the relevant payment information.”

Guardian Media also asked Padarath about a $703,000 payment made to his relative’s account and the ongoing police investigation into his salary when he was the PM’s aide and the inconsistencies in amounts deposited over the period of 2013-2017 into his personal account.

Padarath gave the following explanation, “As I served as an aide, my role and responsibility are to deal with contingency when the prime minister travels. Every prime minister is provided with a per diem when you travel and placed in a cheque in your name. That is where those sums would have come from.”

Padarath added, “Separate and apart from that, you have to account when the cabinet releases funds to someone holding a contingency. It is not a matter you get free money to spend, you have to reconcile accounts when you return to the country and the Office of the Prime Minister should have every piece of documentation where those accounts are reconciled.

“When I left the Office of the Prime Minister, every travel that I accompanied Mrs Persad-Bissessar on was reconciled with an accounting officer who went item by item, list by list, document by document, bill by bill, to ensure those sums were accounted for. As I said, my hands are clean. I am not bothered by PNM machinations and investigations.”

However, Guardian Media obtained the cabinet notes for the period 2013-2015, where investigators perused all authorised travel for Padarath, which included the amounts for travel and the vote from which the money was to be taken. They found that there was no variance to the amounts disbursed as approved by the cabinet to be paid.

The investigators concluded that the documents “provided by the Office of the Prime Minister was done and it revealed that there were a number of variances in respect to the amounts paid to Barry Padarath when compared to the amounts as were approved in the cabinet notes.”

Investigators alleged Padarath “earned way in excess of his eligible remuneration during his tenure as the personal aide to the prime minister.”

When questioned about the variances as pointed out by the police, Padarath shot back stating, “That will be an issue that will have to be dealt with by the authorities in terms of cross-checking with the Office of the Prime Minister, but as I indicated when I left the Office of the prime minister every single travel was accounted for.”

Asked if he would be willing to cooperate if the authorities approached him, Padarath said, “These matters are in the hands of my attorneys and it will be dealt with by my attorneys, I am not saying anything further. Let them do their homework.”


Kamla: Payment was for official business
By Guardian Media Newsroom -August 7, 2020

Former prime minister, now Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, says payments made to her by her former special advisor Barry Padarath were for official business transacted during an official trip in 2014. Guardian Media sent the following questions regarding the cheque payments issued to Persad-Bissessar. Following are the questions and responses.

MB: Can you say what was the payment of these monies for?

KPB: These monies were reimbursements to my personal VISA credit card for expenses properly incurred on official travel out of the country while I was Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. The cheques were manager’s cheques and a total of $135,800.00. On December 4, 2014, those cheques were deposited directly as reimbursements to my personal VISA credit card.

MB: Why was your special aide at that time paying you money?

KPB: At the time Mr Padarath was an Advisor to the Prime Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. His responsibilities included protocol services to the Prime Minister’s official overseas delegations and also handling the logistical details of these trips, including accommodation and incidental expenses.

Mr Padarath was issued with a government-issued credit card with him as the signatory, for use on official overseas travel to pay for accommodation and incidental expenses. He would be given what is known as a “contingency” sum by the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister to cover those expenses. He would place that “contingency” sum in a special bank account in his name at the First Citizens Bank, and established and used for that purpose only for the sake of accountability. He would have to account to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for every single expense, and always did so.

During the period in question, on an official visit to North America, the official government-issued credit card was not working. I, therefore, had to use my personal credit card to pay for accommodation and incidentals. Details and proof of all of those expenses charged to my personal credit card were provided to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Mr Padarath issued the Manager’s Cheques to me from his said account, into which would have been paid the “contingency” sum for that overseas trip paid to him by the Office of the Prime Minister. He accounted for the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for those cheques and provided all supporting documentation.

The Permanent Secretary and Accounts Department in the Office of the Prime Minister would be aware of and be in possession of these documents and would have audited and approved these transactions many years ago.

MB: And what did you do with that money?

KPB: The cheques in question were deposited directly into my said personal VISA credit card account on December 4, 2014 as reimbursement for what I had to charge on that card for official accommodation and incidental expenses, since the official government-issued credit card was not working. All documentation in that regard was provided to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for the financial records.

[aaron17]

Friends,

I would like to commend Keith and team for their outstanding performance in this pandemic.

I mean, let’s recap on the carefully engineered phases constructed by the medical experts.

Phases 1 through 6?? Wow, just wow.

To structure this so cleverly and have NO local cases initially was absolutely brilliant.

Can you imagine the UNC wanted to open the borders? Steups....no thinking, concern or care whatsoever.

Unfortunately, the citizens of T&T FAILED to do their part and blatantly disregard the countless pleas from the Govt to adhere to New Norm measures. Shame on you Trinis, shame shame.

And now if there is a another shut down, and allyuh losing income and cant get allyuh stink doubles and KFC.......blame the PNM?

Anyways, allyuh doing well.

If UNC wins this election...let them open up the borders man....bring the people in.

Very fishy u aint say 'family'

[zoom rader]

And dont forget the golf course woman reference.

Men forget the Rowlee wanted to buss a rape on Anika Gumbs

[bluefete]

He is a political grasshopper like Inshan Ishmael.

That ad is as racist as you could get.

So all Zoom PNM people downtrodden and poor - according to Tantie Kams.

And only Tantie Kams could bring them out of their suffering.

Racist much?

http://trinicenter.com/Cudjoe/2020/0408.htm

[aaron17]

Priority bus route open on saturday for everyone on behalf of rohan. I see votes on route!

[bluefete]

I waiting for the next 6 years when we could properly investigate Faris and family and other PNM officials (A&V Drilling) who draining the treasury right now.

[bluefete]

Priority bus route open on saturday for everyone on behalf of rohan. I see votes on route!

Yuh lie. What is the reason? PNM doh ever open bus route so early fuh anything. Not even when POS flood out.

[Kewell35]

So all Zoom PNM people downtrodden and poor - according to Tantie Kams.

And only Tantie Kams could bring them out of their suffering.

Racist much?

Nah they know they done have the indian vote so they just targeting the african vote with these stupid adverts.

[zoom rader]

How is it Barry Padarath cannot "remember" the hundreds of thousands of dollars he paid for Tantie Kams?

But Tantie Kams had to come out and say it was repayment for a government credit card.

Get allyuh story straight nah!

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/padarat ... a3cb3372fc

Padarath, relative face financial probes

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath is shown copies of cheques by GMLs Mark Bassant during Padarath’s walkabout in the Buen Intento housing development in Princes Town on Wednesday.

Mark Bassant

Lead Editor, Investigative Desk

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath says he cannot recall why he issued two First Citizens bank cheques totalling TT$135,800 in October 2014 to then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bisssessar while he was her special advisor. The cheques now form part of evidence collected by the T&T Police Service in a case involving the MP and a female relative.

Guardian Media obtained copies of the cheques, detailed cabinet notes and other financial information which we were reliably informed are at the centre of the police probe. Officers have obtained several legal orders over the last few months to peruse several bank accounts in the ongoing case, after alleged suspicious activities related to the MP’s relative were first flagged by the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (FIUTT).

During a walkabout in the Buen Intento housing community in Princes Town on Wednesday, Guardian Media questioned Padarath about the payments made to Persad-Bissessar and if he remembered what they were for.

“I have no recollection for what this would have been for. It is, in fact, legitimate I can tell you that if it is, in fact, legitimate cheques, I cannot recollect this was in 2014 but it would have been totally above board,” Padarath said.

The source of the money and payments are only part of a wider police investigation into a company which is linked to Padarath’s relative.

Documents show that Padarath deposited close to $703,000 from his RBC Financial (Caribbean) Bank account on March 7, 2016, to the relative’s account, also at the same bank, via an account to account transfer of the funds. The complex financial trail then points to the relative setting up several other bank accounts, including two chequing accounts for her company.

According to the financial information obtained over the years, Padarath allegedly made several cheque payments to the relative amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars and, in some cases, she transferred these funds into insurance policies and to her company.

Investigators found that the relative’s company was first registered on January 28, 2011, and had the address of #20 Green Heart Drive, Couva North, Couva, which was the home address of both Padarath and the relative in question.

Documentation also revealed that for the period January 15, 2014-January 26, 2017, the sum of $162,500 was allegedly paid to Padarath via cheques from the relative’s company. There were three cheques for $50,000, $10,000 and $2,500 during that period, all paid on different dates for the three-year period.

When questioned about this payment, Padarath smiled and said, “My only comment to you is that I am an only child and if you look at the date of those cheques, it was my birthday and I am totally above board and there is a clear attempt to sully my name and I am not concerned one bit or the other.”

A money trail tracked by authorities revealed that during the period 2013-2018, just over $15 million passed through the accounts of the relative’s company. Incidentally, under the People’s Partnership government, the company obtained contracts from the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) and Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Limited (PSAEL) in the sum of $3.2 million between the period 2012-2015.


One of the cheques Barry Padarath made out to UNC leader Kamla Persad Bissessar in 2014.

Documents obtained by investigators revealed that the relative’s company secured nine contracts through the PSAEL during the period April 2012-2015. Investigators found that four of the nine contracts were awarded to the company through a merit award system. They also discovered that in January 2011, Rentokil Initial (Trinidad) Limited tendered a bid to furnish, install and service soap dispensers at Petrotrin offices in Pointe-a-Pierre after there was an invitation to tender by PSAEL. They discovered that the contract was granted to the relative’s company, “notwithstanding Rentokil Initial (Trinidad) Limited, which has the ability to perform a similar task, tendered a much lower quote.”

Investigators also noted, “There were two instances where based on the tendering process selection using the lowest bidder criteria, the service providers recommended were not awarded the contract.”

Investigators added that Padarath’s relative’s company was awarded the contract by the Finance and Tenders Committee notwithstanding the fact the bid tendered was doubled the amount quoted by the other service providers.

The EFCL also awarded at least 20 contracts to the relative’s company between September 2011 to September 2014. In some instances, investigators say they were unable to say if work was done on some of the schools that the company was given the contract for and stated that “at least five projects in one way or the other does not contain the relevant payment information.”

Guardian Media also asked Padarath about a $703,000 payment made to his relative’s account and the ongoing police investigation into his salary when he was the PM’s aide and the inconsistencies in amounts deposited over the period of 2013-2017 into his personal account.

Padarath gave the following explanation, “As I served as an aide, my role and responsibility are to deal with contingency when the prime minister travels. Every prime minister is provided with a per diem when you travel and placed in a cheque in your name. That is where those sums would have come from.”

Padarath added, “Separate and apart from that, you have to account when the cabinet releases funds to someone holding a contingency. It is not a matter you get free money to spend, you have to reconcile accounts when you return to the country and the Office of the Prime Minister should have every piece of documentation where those accounts are reconciled.

“When I left the Office of the Prime Minister, every travel that I accompanied Mrs Persad-Bissessar on was reconciled with an accounting officer who went item by item, list by list, document by document, bill by bill, to ensure those sums were accounted for. As I said, my hands are clean. I am not bothered by PNM machinations and investigations.”

However, Guardian Media obtained the cabinet notes for the period 2013-2015, where investigators perused all authorised travel for Padarath, which included the amounts for travel and the vote from which the money was to be taken. They found that there was no variance to the amounts disbursed as approved by the cabinet to be paid.

The investigators concluded that the documents “provided by the Office of the Prime Minister was done and it revealed that there were a number of variances in respect to the amounts paid to Barry Padarath when compared to the amounts as were approved in the cabinet notes.”

Investigators alleged Padarath “earned way in excess of his eligible remuneration during his tenure as the personal aide to the prime minister.”

When questioned about the variances as pointed out by the police, Padarath shot back stating, “That will be an issue that will have to be dealt with by the authorities in terms of cross-checking with the Office of the Prime Minister, but as I indicated when I left the Office of the prime minister every single travel was accounted for.”

Asked if he would be willing to cooperate if the authorities approached him, Padarath said, “These matters are in the hands of my attorneys and it will be dealt with by my attorneys, I am not saying anything further. Let them do their homework.”


Kamla: Payment was for official business
By Guardian Media Newsroom -August 7, 2020

Former prime minister, now Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, says payments made to her by her former special advisor Barry Padarath were for official business transacted during an official trip in 2014. Guardian Media sent the following questions regarding the cheque payments issued to Persad-Bissessar. Following are the questions and responses.

MB: Can you say what was the payment of these monies for?

KPB: These monies were reimbursements to my personal VISA credit card for expenses properly incurred on official travel out of the country while I was Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. The cheques were manager’s cheques and a total of $135,800.00. On December 4, 2014, those cheques were deposited directly as reimbursements to my personal VISA credit card.

MB: Why was your special aide at that time paying you money?

KPB: At the time Mr Padarath was an Advisor to the Prime Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. His responsibilities included protocol services to the Prime Minister’s official overseas delegations and also handling the logistical details of these trips, including accommodation and incidental expenses.

Mr Padarath was issued with a government-issued credit card with him as the signatory, for use on official overseas travel to pay for accommodation and incidental expenses. He would be given what is known as a “contingency” sum by the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister to cover those expenses. He would place that “contingency” sum in a special bank account in his name at the First Citizens Bank, and established and used for that purpose only for the sake of accountability. He would have to account to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for every single expense, and always did so.

During the period in question, on an official visit to North America, the official government-issued credit card was not working. I, therefore, had to use my personal credit card to pay for accommodation and incidentals. Details and proof of all of those expenses charged to my personal credit card were provided to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Mr Padarath issued the Manager’s Cheques to me from his said account, into which would have been paid the “contingency” sum for that overseas trip paid to him by the Office of the Prime Minister. He accounted for the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for those cheques and provided all supporting documentation.

The Permanent Secretary and Accounts Department in the Office of the Prime Minister would be aware of and be in possession of these documents and would have audited and approved these transactions many years ago.

MB: And what did you do with that money?

KPB: The cheques in question were deposited directly into my said personal VISA credit card account on December 4, 2014 as reimbursement for what I had to charge on that card for official accommodation and incidental expenses, since the official government-issued credit card was not working. All documentation in that regard was provided to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for the financial records.

Much to do about nothing.

Desperate times for PNM media houses

[bluefete]

People have to be real stupid (according to Zoom) to vote for them based on this ad.

So all Zoom PNM people downtrodden and poor - according to Tantie Kams.

And only Tantie Kams could bring them out of their suffering.

Racist much?

Nah they know they done have the indian vote so they just targeting the african vote with these stupid adverts.

[bluefete]

Desperate times for PNM media houses

Yuh sounding like a member of the PNM FAB. The only difference is you wearing yellow.

All PNM and UNC sycophants are the same. Their parties can do no wrong. Their parties are never involved in corruption.

[zoom rader]

He is a political grasshopper like Inshan Ishmael.

That ad is as racist as you could get.

So all Zoom PNM people downtrodden and poor - according to Tantie Kams.

And only Tantie Kams could bring them out of their suffering.

Racist much?

http://trinicenter.com/Cudjoe/2020/0408.htm

That ad is real life in Trinidad.

Trini lower Afros are the bottom of ladder . Not sure about Tobago

Even Venes are in better position, Failgerald Hinds himself said so a few weeks back

[zoom rader]

Desperate times for PNM media houses

Yuh sounding like a member of the PNM FAB. The only difference is you wearing yellow.

All PNM and UNC sycophants are the same. Their parties can do no wrong. Their parties are never involved in corruption.

I guess email gate , Panday rape case and Bank accounts are all true?

[aaron17]

Priority bus route open on saturday for everyone on behalf of rohan. I see votes on route!

Yuh lie. What is the reason? PNM doh ever open bus route so early fuh anything. Not even when POS flood out.

http://www.looptt.com/content/pbr-be-opened-saturday

[zoom rader]

I waiting for the next 6 years when we could properly investigate Faris and family and other PNM officials (A&V Drilling) who draining the treasury right now.

Will never happen under Eliteauto prime monster

[zoom rader]

PNM always have some fake bombshells in the run up to elections.

Remember Cocaine and bombs in the water tank?

Bluefete why you dont post dem tings

[zoom rader]

Bluefete wey yuh ?

Yuh cah respond?

Anyway I going rumshop, be back later.

[bluefete]

[bluefete]

I was doing some research. Yuh just proved my point.

Desperate times for PNM media houses

Yuh sounding like a member of the PNM FAB. The only difference is you wearing yellow.

All PNM and UNC sycophants are the same. Their parties can do no wrong. Their parties are never involved in corruption.

I guess email gate , Panday rape case and Bank accounts are all true?

Bluefete wey yuh ?Yuh cah respond?

Anyway I going rumshop, be back later.

PNM always have some fake bombshells in the run up to elections.

Remember Cocaine and bombs in the water tank?

Bluefete why you dont post dem tings

[bluefete]

PNM is a real f---d up party. Really, really f---d up!

That is one level of shrite.

Not even an excuse for paving somewhere. Talk about levels of desperation.

Priority bus route open on saturday for everyone on behalf of rohan. I see votes on route!

Yuh lie. What is the reason? PNM doh ever open bus route so early fuh anything. Not even when POS flood out.

http://www.looptt.com/content/pbr-be-opened-saturday

[sMASH]

How is it Barry Padarath cannot "remember" the hundreds of thousands of dollars he paid for Tantie Kams?

But Tantie Kams had to come out and say it was repayment for a government credit card.

Get allyuh story straight nah!

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/padarat ... a3cb3372fc

Padarath, relative face financial probes

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath is shown copies of cheques by GMLs Mark Bassant during Padarath’s walkabout in the Buen Intento housing development in Princes Town on Wednesday.

Mark Bassant

Lead Editor, Investigative Desk

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath says he cannot recall why he issued two First Citizens bank cheques totalling TT$135,800 in October 2014 to then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bisssessar while he was her special advisor. The cheques now form part of evidence collected by the T&T Police Service in a case involving the MP and a female relative.

Guardian Media obtained copies of the cheques, detailed cabinet notes and other financial information which we were reliably informed are at the centre of the police probe. Officers have obtained several legal orders over the last few months to peruse several bank accounts in the ongoing case, after alleged suspicious activities related to the MP’s relative were first flagged by the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (FIUTT).

During a walkabout in the Buen Intento housing community in Princes Town on Wednesday, Guardian Media questioned Padarath about the payments made to Persad-Bissessar and if he remembered what they were for.

“I have no recollection for what this would have been for. It is, in fact, legitimate I can tell you that if it is, in fact, legitimate cheques, I cannot recollect this was in 2014 but it would have been totally above board,” Padarath said.

The source of the money and payments are only part of a wider police investigation into a company which is linked to Padarath’s relative.

Documents show that Padarath deposited close to $703,000 from his RBC Financial (Caribbean) Bank account on March 7, 2016, to the relative’s account, also at the same bank, via an account to account transfer of the funds. The complex financial trail then points to the relative setting up several other bank accounts, including two chequing accounts for her company.

According to the financial information obtained over the years, Padarath allegedly made several cheque payments to the relative amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars and, in some cases, she transferred these funds into insurance policies and to her company.

Investigators found that the relative’s company was first registered on January 28, 2011, and had the address of #20 Green Heart Drive, Couva North, Couva, which was the home address of both Padarath and the relative in question.

Documentation also revealed that for the period January 15, 2014-January 26, 2017, the sum of $162,500 was allegedly paid to Padarath via cheques from the relative’s company. There were three cheques for $50,000, $10,000 and $2,500 during that period, all paid on different dates for the three-year period.

When questioned about this payment, Padarath smiled and said, “My only comment to you is that I am an only child and if you look at the date of those cheques, it was my birthday and I am totally above board and there is a clear attempt to sully my name and I am not concerned one bit or the other.”

A money trail tracked by authorities revealed that during the period 2013-2018, just over $15 million passed through the accounts of the relative’s company. Incidentally, under the People’s Partnership government, the company obtained contracts from the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) and Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Limited (PSAEL) in the sum of $3.2 million between the period 2012-2015.


One of the cheques Barry Padarath made out to UNC leader Kamla Persad Bissessar in 2014.

Documents obtained by investigators revealed that the relative’s company secured nine contracts through the PSAEL during the period April 2012-2015. Investigators found that four of the nine contracts were awarded to the company through a merit award system. They also discovered that in January 2011, Rentokil Initial (Trinidad) Limited tendered a bid to furnish, install and service soap dispensers at Petrotrin offices in Pointe-a-Pierre after there was an invitation to tender by PSAEL. They discovered that the contract was granted to the relative’s company, “notwithstanding Rentokil Initial (Trinidad) Limited, which has the ability to perform a similar task, tendered a much lower quote.”

Investigators also noted, “There were two instances where based on the tendering process selection using the lowest bidder criteria, the service providers recommended were not awarded the contract.”

Investigators added that Padarath’s relative’s company was awarded the contract by the Finance and Tenders Committee notwithstanding the fact the bid tendered was doubled the amount quoted by the other service providers.

The EFCL also awarded at least 20 contracts to the relative’s company between September 2011 to September 2014. In some instances, investigators say they were unable to say if work was done on some of the schools that the company was given the contract for and stated that “at least five projects in one way or the other does not contain the relevant payment information.”

Guardian Media also asked Padarath about a $703,000 payment made to his relative’s account and the ongoing police investigation into his salary when he was the PM’s aide and the inconsistencies in amounts deposited over the period of 2013-2017 into his personal account.

Padarath gave the following explanation, “As I served as an aide, my role and responsibility are to deal with contingency when the prime minister travels. Every prime minister is provided with a per diem when you travel and placed in a cheque in your name. That is where those sums would have come from.”

Padarath added, “Separate and apart from that, you have to account when the cabinet releases funds to someone holding a contingency. It is not a matter you get free money to spend, you have to reconcile accounts when you return to the country and the Office of the Prime Minister should have every piece of documentation where those accounts are reconciled.

“When I left the Office of the Prime Minister, every travel that I accompanied Mrs Persad-Bissessar on was reconciled with an accounting officer who went item by item, list by list, document by document, bill by bill, to ensure those sums were accounted for. As I said, my hands are clean. I am not bothered by PNM machinations and investigations.”

However, Guardian Media obtained the cabinet notes for the period 2013-2015, where investigators perused all authorised travel for Padarath, which included the amounts for travel and the vote from which the money was to be taken. They found that there was no variance to the amounts disbursed as approved by the cabinet to be paid.

The investigators concluded that the documents “provided by the Office of the Prime Minister was done and it revealed that there were a number of variances in respect to the amounts paid to Barry Padarath when compared to the amounts as were approved in the cabinet notes.”

Investigators alleged Padarath “earned way in excess of his eligible remuneration during his tenure as the personal aide to the prime minister.”

When questioned about the variances as pointed out by the police, Padarath shot back stating, “That will be an issue that will have to be dealt with by the authorities in terms of cross-checking with the Office of the Prime Minister, but as I indicated when I left the Office of the prime minister every single travel was accounted for.”

Asked if he would be willing to cooperate if the authorities approached him, Padarath said, “These matters are in the hands of my attorneys and it will be dealt with by my attorneys, I am not saying anything further. Let them do their homework.”


Kamla: Payment was for official business
By Guardian Media Newsroom -August 7, 2020

Former prime minister, now Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, says payments made to her by her former special advisor Barry Padarath were for official business transacted during an official trip in 2014. Guardian Media sent the following questions regarding the cheque payments issued to Persad-Bissessar. Following are the questions and responses.

MB: Can you say what was the payment of these monies for?

KPB: These monies were reimbursements to my personal VISA credit card for expenses properly incurred on official travel out of the country while I was Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. The cheques were manager’s cheques and a total of $135,800.00. On December 4, 2014, those cheques were deposited directly as reimbursements to my personal VISA credit card.

MB: Why was your special aide at that time paying you money?

KPB: At the time Mr Padarath was an Advisor to the Prime Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. His responsibilities included protocol services to the Prime Minister’s official overseas delegations and also handling the logistical details of these trips, including accommodation and incidental expenses.

Mr Padarath was issued with a government-issued credit card with him as the signatory, for use on official overseas travel to pay for accommodation and incidental expenses. He would be given what is known as a “contingency” sum by the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister to cover those expenses. He would place that “contingency” sum in a special bank account in his name at the First Citizens Bank, and established and used for that purpose only for the sake of accountability. He would have to account to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for every single expense, and always did so.

During the period in question, on an official visit to North America, the official government-issued credit card was not working. I, therefore, had to use my personal credit card to pay for accommodation and incidentals. Details and proof of all of those expenses charged to my personal credit card were provided to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Mr Padarath issued the Manager’s Cheques to me from his said account, into which would have been paid the “contingency” sum for that overseas trip paid to him by the Office of the Prime Minister. He accounted for the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for those cheques and provided all supporting documentation.

The Permanent Secretary and Accounts Department in the Office of the Prime Minister would be aware of and be in possession of these documents and would have audited and approved these transactions many years ago.

MB: And what did you do with that money?

KPB: The cheques in question were deposited directly into my said personal VISA credit card account on December 4, 2014 as reimbursement for what I had to charge on that card for official accommodation and incidental expenses, since the official government-issued credit card was not working. All documentation in that regard was provided to the Accounting Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister for the financial records.

i not vex, trace down every cent. explain allll paper bag money

[Redman]

If that is how business is done when a PM travels....that’s some Mickey Mouse sheeeit.

[VII]

If that is how business is done when a PM travels....that’s some Mickey Mouse sheeeit.

That explanation is for their illiterate supporters..

Not even zoom buying that..