Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley last night reiterated his call for an independent probe into the e-mail fiasco, insisting he would not take the word of any person hired by parties named in the matter. “I am not interested in reports of interested parties,” Rowley told the media at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. “From the 20th of May when I first raised the matter I asked for an independent and thorough inquiry. I am expecting to see that.” He was responding to claims by Israel Khan, SC, who is representing Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in the matter, that he was irresponsible in bringing the matter to the House without first verifying the authenticity of the e-mails.
Asked about calls for Integrity Commission chairman Ken Gordon to resign over their meeting days before he went to the House with the e-mail complaint, he said: “There are many people who have a good interest in changing the conversation. It is still a free country. They can make their views in one area and I in another area. “I have heard comments about conspiracies between myself and the chairman of the Integrity Commission. It started with my staff calling his staff to arrange a conspiracy. I would not be distracted by persons who would misrepresent and lie and hope to misdirect the public or the country.” Rowley said the Government was interested only in itself.
“I called Mr Gordon’s office and on the way home he returned my call. He asked me if the matter was urgent and I said yes. “He is my neighbour, I said fine that is how that meeting came about. There was never any intention on my part or Mr Gordon’s part to go to his house. If they believe there is a conspiracy, they are free to believe that.” He added: “It was extremely important information which I could only have with him and I got the information. I will not be distracted. I wanted to find out if the matter I was going to raise in the Parliament was the subject of an integrity investigation.” Rowley said he also did not have to disclose any information that he met with Gordon at his home or had a drink at his house. “My presentation was I was in a position to say that there is no action at the Integrity Commission and the only way I could have said that is because I met with the Integrity Commission,” he said.