Smith report imminent

ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi expects a report on the dismissal of former sport minister Darryl Smith’s personal assistant Carrie-Ann Moreau and a settlement paid to her, “quite imminently.” Al-Rawi made this statement Tuesday in the Senate.

The Prime Minister appointed a committee to investigate the matter on April 10. Last month, Dr Rowley said he anticipated receipt of the report sometime after the Indian Arrival Day and Corpus Christi holidays last month,

Al-Rawi said Government will not repeat former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s mistake with the Life Sport scandal. Reminding senators that Persad-Bissessar initiated an investigation into Life Sport, Al-Rawi said, “She published that inquiry and aspects of it prematurely.” As a result, Al-Rawi continued, sports minister Anil Roberts “was exculpated because he was not put to answer questions of adverse inferences made against him.” In the course of natural justice, Al-Rawi explained, “It is therefore imperative that one complies with process to make sure that things are dealt with clearly.”

He added, “It is not every day or a usual circumstance that the Office of the Prime Minister will conduct an investigation.”

Al-Rawi said there is no complaint on file at the sports ministry on this matter and reminded senators it dealt with “the termination of an employee by the ministry for non-performance.”

Smith would have known Moreau filed a trade dispute citing wrongful termination and Al-Rawi said Smith may have sought and obtained information about it. He added, “There is no non-disclosure agreement per se.”

Princes Town MP Barry Padarath claimed there may be an attempt to sanitise the report with regard to Smith’s conduct and said any such attempt “will be met with tremendous resistance.” He said once public funds were used as “hush money” there was an element of accepting liability by the ministry against the allegations made.