Minister of Transport and past president of GOPIO (TT), Devant Maharaj

By Sandra Chouthi
Special to Indo-Caribbean World
Port-of-Spain - The spectre of discrimination has raised its head with the People's Partnership government alleging that the People's National Movement, while in power, granted scholarships in flagrant violation of the rules.
The man who blew the whistle on the PNM granting scholarships without following due process is Devant Maharaj, formerly president of the local chapter of Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin. He is now the Minister of Transport.
Maharaj had a contentious relationship with the previous administration in his role as marketing and public relations officer of the National Lotteries Control Board. He won an historic court battle when he successfully challenged the exercise of a veto by then Prime Minister Patrick Manning that blocked his appointment to act in the post of deputy director of the NLCB.
Maharaj has claimed "flagrant violation" of the very rules set up for the administration of the former PNM government scholarships. In a statement issued on October 23, Maharaj said there is an ongoing controversy over the granting of the scholarships under the former Patrick Manning administration. Maharaj had filed a matter for the consideration of the Equal Opportunity Commission. A report submitted to him by the commission stated there was discrimination in the awards. Chairman of the EOC, Professor John La Guerre, said the matter was still being investigated, but is to be referred for conciliation.
Maharaj was critical of the role former culture minister Joan Yuille-Williams played in the matter. In response, Yuille-Williams said there was no racial discrimination in the award of scholarships by the former PNM government.
Maharaj rejected Williams' claim that then Prime Minister Manning's handwritten note on one of the applications for the matter to be handled quietly was ministry protocol, as was claimed by Yuille-Williams.
"It seems as if this was the overriding motto for the disbursement of these funds," Maharaj said. "This was a blatant attempt to hide the facts from the glare of public scrutiny."
The EOC found "an inference of discrimination" noting that the government gave financial assistance to only seven percent of Indo-Trinidadians. Yuille-Williams said there was no racial bias in the programme. She added she was exploring her legal options and may sue over allegations of misuse of the fund.
"While I proceed with the legal recourse best suited to establishing objective truth and protecting people's integrity, I remain loathe, at this stage, to disclose much more of the details, inclusive of actual persons and cases who can testify to the rigorous fairness of the processes and, to the widespread success of the programme insofar as it was beneficial to them and the wider community," Yuille-Williams said.
Addressing reports that she was instructed by Manning to "handle this quietly," with regard to disbursements to certain people, Yuille-Williams said the secrecy was in keeping with her ministry's protocol of discretion in assisting the needy. Describing the discussion on the fund as "salacious" Yuille-Williams said the fund was a legitimate, Cabinet-approved entity, of which many non-governmental organisations were aware.
She did not address claims that several PNM supporters allegedly benefitted from the fund, including Adanna Joseph, daughter of former head of the Special Anti-Crime Unit, Brigadier Peter Joseph, which he has since denied.
However, Maharaj is not convinced, but believes that the issue is bigger than just one of discrimination. In a statement late last month he said the EOC report has provoked debate on the lack of transparency in the programme and violation of rules.
He said that while Yuille-Williams spoke of the awards as being for the needy, former PNM senator Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing, the daughter-in-law of Port-of-Spain Mayor Louis Lee Sing, received (TT) $500,000 to pursue a law degree in London. Maharaj said Lezama-Lee Sing did not graduate.
Another former PNM senator, Rain Newel-Lewis, received $200,000 for graduate studies in International Business in Economics in London. Maharaj said that senators are well-compensated and are not classified as "needy." He said non-Cabinet members who serve in the Senate receive a monthly salary of $14,500, so they are not needy.
The minister also asked why Joel Primus, PNM General Council member and former senator, received a grant of $15,000 for a Diploma in General Management and another $5,000 for a BSc in Computer and Information Studies.
Maharaj had another name as well — Paige De Leon — who is "gainfully employed" as a public relations officer at the Office of the Prime Minister. He said she received $173,640 to pursue a Master's degree.
Said Maharaj: "It seems as if this was the overriding motto for the disbursement of these funds. This was a blatant attempt to hide the facts from the glare of public scrutiny."
He said to focus on the racial imbalance alone would trivialise the other fundamental and important points that arise.
Maharaj said one critical issue is whether "undue preferential treatment" was shown to a political interest group by the former government, contrary to the Integrity in Public Life Act.
Former community development minister Marlene McDonald on October 19 distanced herself from the system used to award scholarships by the PNM - described by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar - saying she had completely removed herself from the process.
On October 17, Persad-Bissessar described a procedure which, she said, resulted in "shameless, rampant discrimination in the award of secret scholarships by the former government."
Speaking in the budget debate in the House of Representatives, McDonald, Member of Parliament for PNM-controlled Port-of-Spain South, said when she was appointed minister in November 2007 — taking over from Joan Yuille-Williams under whom the programme started — she (McDonald) temporarily stopped the Financial Assistance Programme "loosely called the Scholarship Programme" until the third week of January 2008.
She said she did so because she wanted to get a better understanding of what the programme involved. McDonald said she then put a structure in place, in which a committee was established, chaired by Wayne Wood, which assumed responsibility for the programme.
"The minister removed herself from the process and this independent committee assessed all applications," she said.
She said there was a policy document with guidelines and applications were placed on the ministry's Website. She said every Wednesday it was not unusual to see the entire committee meeting and interviewing applicants. Other members of the committee were: Victor McEachrane, Dr Valerie Hackshaw, Roger Kawalsingh and Amita Gangar, she said.
McDonald said this process continued under the current minister - Nizam Baksh - and two of the members of the old committee were reappointed to the new committee. They were Kawalsingh and Gangar, she said.
"A proper system was put in place. ... I could account for what I did from January 2008 to May 2010," she said, adding that the current minister could attest to what she has said.
The Trinidad Express, in an October 20 editorial, applauded former minister Marlene McDonald for her "nimble sidestepping of responsibility" for the $45 million scholarship programme run by her ministry.
"Responding on October 18 to the Prime Minister's accusations during the budget debate, Ms McDonald sought to distance herself from any involvement in the Community Development Ministry's scholarship scheme," the editorial stated. Ms McDonald's eagerness to spill the beans can be understood within the context of what took place the day before. Then, the Prime Minister had announced the matter had been referred to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions. This was after the Equal Opportunity Commission, which investigated after a complaint from Devant Maharaj, concluded there was discrimination in the award of the scholarships.
Quoting from the report, Mrs Persad-Bissessar catalogued the shortcomings of the scheme. The scholarships were not advertised, rules were not observed, and there may not even have been a committee to administer them.
Instead, said Mrs Persad-Bissessar, decisions might be made on the basis of notes from former Prime Minister Patrick Manning to the line minister at the time, Joan Yuille-Williams, asking her to assist people he nominated and to "handle this quietly."
More than half the beneficiaries, said the Prime Minister, came from five PNM constituencies. There has been no word from former Prime Minister Patrick Manning about the choice of scholarship awardees. Manning, the first Member of Parliament (San Fernando East) who is a former prime minister, has not even made a contribution to the 2012 budget debate.

 

Port-of-Spain - An invitation has been issued for the people of Trinidad and Tobago to journey to India in January 2012 where Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be the chief guest at India's annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) event.
Indian High Commissioner Malay Mishra said this would be an excellent opportunity for people to witness an historic event and will also afford business people the ideal opportunity to tap into Indian markets or seek out potential Indian investors who may want to do business in Trinidad and Tobago.
"This is an excellent opportunity for the people of Trinidad and Tobago to visit India and share in the honour of seeing their Prime Minister on the big stage where she will be honoured," said Mishra.
Mishra said the PBD is a mega event in India, held annually from January 7 to 9, and which commemorates the return of the biggest pravasi (overseas Indian), Mahatma Gandhi, to India on January 9, 1915 after spending 21 years in South Africa.
In 2012, the PBD will be held in the state of Jaipur, Rajasthan, which is known as India's "Pink City".
Mishra said it was his honour to recommend Persad-Bissessar as the PBD's chief guest, which was accepted.
"The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago has excellent credentials. She is the only woman leader in the entire diaspora; she is the only Person of Indian Origin for us. Her impeccable record of having achieved this great distinction in such a short time; her efficiency; her role in public life which she gave to the people; her charisma and commendable attributes. I had the honour of recommending her to be the chief guest of PBD, which was accepted," said Mishra.
He said not only will Persad-Bissessar be the chief guest of the PBD, but she was also invited by India's Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to be the guest of the state.
Mishra said a joint commission, which is a government-to-government arrangement, is currently working on various areas which will be discussed between both prime ministers, such as information technology, agriculture, small and medium enterprises, educational links, etc.
He said Persad-Bissessar will be the feature speaker at the PBD on January 8, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Singh, and she will also be the main speaker on January 8 at the session hosted by India's president.
Mishra said Persad-Bissessar will also be visiting other states in India such as Kolkata, where a memoriam for people of Indian origin was established, and also Delhi, among others.
He stressed on the avenues of opportunities that will be open to this country's business community.
Mishra said there will be two pre-conference seminars on social entrepreneurship, with focus on water and solar energy investment.
"This is an ideal opportunity for the Trinidad and Tobago business community. The Indian market is a growing market; it's an investment destination," said Mishra, adding that potential Indian investors can also be sought during the PBD.
He said there will also be a session on gender and women.
"I suppose the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, having her own ideas on gender and being such a firm advocate of gender equality on the global platform, she will be a big asset for this session if she's available," he said.
I invite all persons who are interested to register themselves. It is very simple and affordable," said Mishra.

 

Port-of-Spain - As he did in life, Presbyterian Minister Reverend Cyril Paul was able also to transcend political and religious boundaries in death as several prominent political and religious leaders, led by Acting Prime Minister Winston Dookeran, attended his funeral service at the Susamachar Presbyterian Church in San Fernando Thursday.
Also attending the service were head of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha Satnarayan Maharaj; Haji Afzal Mohammed; Hindu activist and former head of the Hindu Prachar Kendra Ravi Ji; Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar; Transport Minister Devant Maharaj; Minister of Planning and the Economy Bhoe Tewarie and San Fernando Business Association president Daphne Bartlett.
And though not listed on the official programme to speak, Dookeran remembered Paul, a former Moderator of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church and head of the Inter-Religious Organisation, as an "attentive listener, deep thinker and amazing orator" who had a significant impact on the nation.
"He always brought a sense of peace and a comfort of serenity to those around him and which was always punctuated with a great sense of humour," Dookeran said, adding that his was "a call for nation building, a call for transformation and a call to go beyond tolerance and into the realm of new discovery."
And recalling that Paul had twice been the victim of violent crime, Dookeran said he had not given up on the "goodness of his fellow man though he had been brutally robbed and beaten not once but twice."
Dookeran also recalled Paul's prayer on September 29, 2003 when he had famously prayed during the ceremonial opening of Parliament that the venue was being used by members for the telling of 'untruths' and of casting aspersions against other members.
Dookeran recalled that his prayer had "provoked some politicians to anger" though he observed that Paul's prayer was an "expression of his conscience and had called on them for a different behaviour in politics."
"The events since then have shown that his foresight was indeed appropriate," Dookeran stated, and revealed that he was privileged to have been close friends with Paul and his wife, Barbara.
He recalled when Paul was asked to comment about the mixing of religion and politics, Paul had quipped, "Life itself is politics."
"His is a vibrant legacy that would keep our nation on track," Dookeran said.
Delivering the sermon, one of Paul's ministerial colleagues, Reverend Winston B Gopaul, identified preparation as one of the hallmarks of his close friend whom he had known since their college days at Naparima College.
Gopaul said Paul had assumed the leadership of the church during the Independence era which he described as an "era of transition" when the Canadian missionaries, who had established the local Presbyterian Church, began grooming local ministers to take over the administration of the church.
"He was one of God's gifts to the church and the nation," Gopaul said, adding that Paul's wife of 47 years had stood by his side throughout the difficult and good times.
"He was the voice of moderation. I never heard him raise his voice to denigrate anyone. Cyril would never engage in any action to undermine a colleague in the Ministry, in fact he would be the first to call and encourage that person," Gopaul added.
And answering the question of life after death, he said, from a Christian perspective, Paul had "gone to be with the Lord whom he worshipped and loved and had served for all of his life."
Delivering the eulogy was another of Paul's lifelong friends and fellow Naparima College classmate, Hans Hanoomansingh, who recalled that no one could sing the Naparima song louder than Paul saying he was a "good student, sportsman and runner" during his days at the college.
Officiating at the service were Reverend Joy Abdul-Mohan and Synod Moderator, Rt Reverend Brenda Bullock.
Paul, who succumbed to a prolonged battle with prostate cancer last Sunday, was cremated at a private service at Belgrove's Crematorium, Coffee Street, San Fernando on Thursday.