Sea Lots businessman Cedric “Burkie” Burke has written to acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, asking him to say whether he is being investigated for any criminal activities.
Burke, through attorneys Celeste St Louis and Richard Clarke-Wills, wrote a two-page letter to Williams seeking to clear his name amidst suggestions his attending MP Marlene McDonald’s swearing-in led to her firing by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley on Sunday.
Burke is currently suing the State for wrongful arrest and prosecution, after he was released two months after being detained in the 2011 state of emergency under allegations he was a gang leader. That matter comes up for hearing later this month.
In the letter, Burke argues he has no pending criminal matters or convictions in any jurisdiction.
“Accordingly, it is paramount that any and all engagement of interest in our client by your good selves be declared, clarified and confirmed so as to prevent any further unfounded blemishes on his character, reputation and esteem and to avoid any further adverse impact on the family relations and business interests of our client, who remains a man of good character,” the letter stated.
The letter claimed Burke’s children, two of whom represented the country in gymnastics, are negatively impacted by the insinuations that their father is criminally connected. In the letter, Burke also said he is willing to co-operate with police in their investigations.
Burke is also considering suing Rowley for defamation of character, after Rowley made statements alluding to him being involved in criminal activity.
During a press conference on Monday, Rowley admitted that McDonald’s association with Burke at her swearing-in ceremony is why she was removed as Public Utilities Minister.
On why McDonald’s affiliation with Burke was such an issue, Rowley said, “Let me spell it out: it’s very easy for one to say and to remember that on the issue of responding to crime and criminality in T&T, there’s a view in many quarters that the Government’s inability—other governments also—to properly respond to the threat of criminality is because of a closeness and an association between government personnel and people engaged in criminal conduct.”
He added: “When I speak or take action on this matter, suffice to say I speak as Prime Minister and chairman of the National Security Council—who more than likely will have a bit more information than anyone else. And the decisions I make are decisions made against that background.”
But even while, Burke was calling on the police to clear his name, fellow Sea Lots resident and his neighbour Kenroy Dopwell, who’d berated the PM and Government for firing McDonald, said he was over his anger on it and was moving on.Dopwell had been at McDonald’s swearing-in function last Friday with Burke and others. Dopwell said he was a PNM mobiliser and was so angry she was fired that he’d said he wanted her to challenge Rowley for the PNM leadership nexrt year, that’d he’d have exchanged PNM red for UNC yellow, or supported McDonald forming her own party.But after Rowley explained why he’d reappointed McDonald and why he fired her, Dopwell said yesterday, “The boss talk. I have nothing further to say. We have to pick up the pieces and move on - I remain a People’s National Movement supporter and I continue supporting Marlene also.
