Educational Facilities Company Limited chairman Arnold Piggott has tendered his resignation, saying he was doing so for the “protection of my reputation and family name” and protecting of the ruling People’s National Movement. (PNM)
In his resignation letter dated May 27 to Education Minister Anthony Garcia and copied to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley and Corporation Sole Finance Minister Colm Imbert, Piggott said he was resigning “due to family commitments requiring greater attention at home and abroad.”
His resignation was effective yesterday (June 2).
He said while he had the privilege to work closely with “a diligent, dedicated and professional team of board members,” they had gone through many challenges, including “reputational risks.”
Piggott said he was leaving the company, which had oversight for building and repairing the nation’s schools, with “a great sense of satisfaction,” which came from “having facilitated improvements to the school infrastructure for teaching and learning.”
Piggott’s resignation, however, comes at a time when questions are swirling in the public domain about the goings on at the company he chaired. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi confirmed in Parliament this week that based on allegations of irregularities raised in the public, he approached the PM and Education Minister and after those discussions called an emergency meeting of the EFCL board.
After that meeting a central audit committee was put in place to get answers to allegations raised. The T&T Guardian understands the PM was “extremely concerned” about what was in the public domain about what was happening at the EFCL.
Piggott was named chairman in October 2015 ,shortly after the PNM won the September General Election.
He said he was proud that schools had opened on time for the five consecutive terms he was at the helm. But he said he said his “resolve and commitment remain strong for this PNM Dr Rowley-led administration.”
Piggott was this country’s high commissioner to Canada under the Patrick Manning administration and also served as minister of agriculture.
Although the Government could give no indication on how long the investigation will take, Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday told the T&T Guardian he hopes that “it will be completed swiftly and the company can operate at its full potential.”
Efforts to contact Piggott were unsuccessful as calls to his mobile phone went unanswered. But in his letter he thanked Garcia for “the amiable consideration and collaboration” during his stewardship.
