Mary King must resign.This call was made yesterday by Minister of Sports Anil Roberts who made his position clear on the awarding of a $100,000 Government contract to King's family firm, Ixanos Ltd.Roberts said he felt it necessary to speak on behalf of the COP membership as there had been "a deafening silence" from the party's leader Winston Dookeran on the issue.In his capacity as Congress of the People (COP) MP for D'Abadie/O'Meara and candidate for party leadership, Roberts said: "I call on Mary King, member of COP, to resign immediately."He was speaking at a news conference at his ministry's office Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain.
He said King breached the COP's mandate to provide transparent and accountable corporate governance.He said King's admittance to being present at the opening of bid documents and appointing her personal adviser as a member of the evaluation committee was in contradiction of the COP's principles.He said any minister who did not understand the rules and regulations in ensuring all Government transactions were transparent "does not deserve to be in position of responsibility in Trinidad and Tobago."
Roberts said King should step down on her own accord and not put the Prime Minister in the position to "fire" her.Asked whether that was the COP's official position on the matter, Roberts said: "This is the position of Anil Roberts candidate for leadership of the COP and Member of Parliament for D'Abadie/O'Meara."The minister criticised the COP executive for not making an official statement on the issue earlier.Roberts, who called the press conference at 5 pm yesterday, said he choose to hold the conference at the end of the day hoping the COP executive would have made a comment earlier.
He said: "I waited for the last moment, giving others the opportunity to speak but the silence was deafening."Roberts said the COP was expected to meet today which in his opinion was "too late."On Sunday it was reported Minister of Planning, Economic and Social Restructuring and Gender Affairs Mary King failed to disclose her family interest in software engineering company, Ixanos Ltd, which won a $100,000 Government contract last November.The minister also claimed Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had been informed of the whole tendering process.Persad-Bissessar later issued a statement categorically denying being informed of the tendering process.