radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has called on Deputy Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob to provide an update on a police investigation into the illegal withdrawal of explosives by a Tobago company without a valid permit.
Speaking at the United National Congress’ virtual rally on Sunday, Moonilal accused the Government of making “a naked grab for political control of the T&T Police Service.”
He also called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Energy Minister Stuart Young to say whether high political office holders had been bullying the TTPS to provide a blasting permit to the Tobago company.
Moonilal alleged that a senior official at the company is a friend of Dr Rowley.
“After sustained, prolonged and obscene bullying by two high-ranking members of the PNM literally involved in influence-peddling, the TTPS, through the office of the CoP, erroneously issued a blasting permit dated 27th October 2020 without the recommendation of the Blasting Advisory Committee (BAC) or the Chief Inspector,” Moonilal claimed.
He claimed the OSH Agency wrote to the CoP requesting clarification on the matter and to date, no reason has been given.
“The acting CoP McDonald Jacob revealed that the license was indeed issued in error and arrangements would be made to withdraw it. To this day, I ask if this license was withdrawn?” Moonilal asked.
He added, “Today, I ask Mr Jacob to disclose whether in the absence of a CoP, any blasting permits and FUL have been issued to (name called) and other selected individuals since we know that only the CoP or an acting CoP can do so.”
Moonilal also said, “The Prime Minister admitted in the Parliament that (name called) is his friend. We have no problem with that. Our issue is when high office holders attempt to use their office for the personal benefits of friends and family in a manner that is wrong.”
He added, “We have no problem with (name called) receiving any benefit from the state for himself personally or his business to which he is lawfully entitled.”
He also accused the Rowley Government of spending $35 million on a British legal and investigation team to target his political opponents.
“I want to know which high-ranking government official sent the TTPS to London to meet this British team and instruct the TTPS to concentrate on Anil Roberts and Roodal Moonilal and no one else? Which Government official directed the TTPS on how to cover up the money moving from the Ministry of Finance to the TTPS?” he said.
“They instructed the police on who to investigate. I tell you this in light of a revelation I made a week before the THA elections that Rowley even tried to get the TTPS to take away the firearm lawfully in possession by Watson Duke,” Moonilal said.
The Prime Minister subsequently denied this allegation.
Moonilal also said the Government had mismanaged the COVID crisis, noting that 436 people had died in three weeks.
Noting that Tobago had rejected the PNM, Moonilal said Trinidad must also do the same.