Housing and Environment Minister Roodal Moonilal has written to acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams questioning why the “e-mailgate” investigating team wants his electronic devices. Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday during a tour of infrastructure work in Laltoo Trace, Debe, Moonilal confirmed the team, headed by Deputy Police Commissioner Mervyn Richardson, had asked him to hand over his devices.
The team made similar requests of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, Local Government and Works Minister Surujrattan Rambachan, Opposition Leader Keith Rowley and Gary Griffith, national security adviser to the Prime Minister.
Moonilal said: “They asked for my devices. I have responded in writing to the commissioner that I have never been the subject of any allegation and in those circumstances I would have been eager to learn what else I can do to assist the police in their ongoing investigation.” Moonilal also reiterated his call for Integrity Commission chairman Ken Gordon to consider his options in light of his “secret” meeting with Rowley at Gordon’s home.
He added: “We have made the case that Mr Gordon should consider his options, given his long history in public service and the private sector, whether he himself, looking on, would have condoned the actions of another chairman of the Integrity Commission had it been a case where the shoe was on the other foot. “We believe he needs to consider his options in the highest traditions that he himself has been speaking out over the years.”
Moonilal recalled having attended functions where Gordon addressed Transparency International on issues of transparency in public life. “We invite him to revisit the speeches he made on this matter over the years and act on these very strong convictions,” he said.