Leader of the Movement for Social Justice David Abdulah has challenged the Government’s decision to appoint Rabindra Moonan to the board of the Housing Development Corporation, saying it once again showed political patronage at the highest levels of office.
He said Moonan’s appointment seemed to have been conveniently done so he could he could do the Government’s bidding.
Abdulah said, “He did not come to the end of his tenure and was not reappointed. He and his entire board were removed. If he was removed, then there were questions about his ability to chair an important state board and, therefore, he should not be appointed to another state board.
“That is a slap in the face of every single citizen and is an example of the attitude that this Government just does not care about the interest of citizens.”
He said it was public knowledge that Moonan and Minister of Housing Dr Moonilal were friends.
“Everyone in San Fernando knows that is a fact. They are liming partners and so on, socially, and it is obviously a matter of political patronage.
“Therefore, you want someone there who would do the Government’s bidding and do the minister’s bidding.”
Abdulah said the Government was appointing incompetent people to mismanage state resources, all in the name of party loyalty.
“We have seen constantly, issues where people have been badly appointed, wrongly appointed and inappropriately appointed, people who are incompetent, but people who have been simply loyal to party.
“Once we have people who are loyal to party or not, but loyal to country and competent in their functions, then we aren’t going to get the mismanagement and corrupt use of state resources. So we are very clear that we are in serious trouble in T&T at this time.”
MSJ won’t run in Chaguanas
Abdulah said the MSJ had also not changed its mind on contesting the July 29 Chaguanas West by-election, as it is focusing on the upcoming local government elections.
He said many candidates had been screened and selected and the process was continuing.
Commenting on the by-election, he said the nation could expect a lot of bacchanal unfolding in coming weeks as former Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner and Local Government Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan continue their internal party squabble.
He said the information on the firetruck fiasco might have been leaked by people against Jack Warner.
“We have made the point continuously that there is a lot of infighting within the UNC between Jack Warner and his faction of the UNC and other factions in the UNC,” he said.
“He has identified Suruj Rambachan as one other faction, and Chaguanas West is a lot about that.
“It really is a battle within the fold of the UNC, because on one hand Mr Warner said it is not his fiasco, it was a Cabinet fiasco, but he was part of the Cabinet and is equally culpable.
“I have no doubt that information about the firetruck was put in the public domain by people who are against Mr Warner, as a mean of attacking him.
“So we expect to get a lot of bacchanal on this issue in the coming weeks leading up to it.
“But nothing fundamental will change in terms of governance. That is why the MSJ is focusing on good governance.”