PNM PUTS OUT HARRY

Prominent south businessman Harry Ragoonanan, a longstanding People’s National Movement (PNM) member and financier, has been suspended from the party with immediate effect, pending the outcome of a police investigation into possible criminal conduct in relation to alleged bid-rigging.

PNM chairman Franklin Khan made the announcement, yesterday, at the party’s post-general council news conference at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain.

“The general council dealt with a disciplinary matter involving a general council member, a constituency chairman and longstanding member of the People’s National Movement - Mr Harry Ragoonanan,” Khan told reporters.

“The matter involves possible criminal conduct and it is the party’s information that there is a police investigation of this matter.”

Specifically, the investigation relates to allegations that Ragoonanan, husband of Senior Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan, attempted to manipulate certain tendering processes at State-owned Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC), last year. But even as he took a hard line on the allegations involving Ragoonanan, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister and PNM public relations officer, Stuart Young, made it clear the party was not “passing any finality on this.”

“We have not made a decision .... It has been sent to our investigations committee for disciplinary matters which is in accordance with our party’s constitution and we will await the outcome,” he said.

“But from what we were told, these allegations are very, very serious and anyone who is attempting to use any position or their membership in the PNM Government, that will not be tolerated for the purpose of corruption.”

Young said the party learnt Ragoonanan had, allegedly, attempted to manipulate the process in a series of conversations with a Chinese businessman whom he did not name.

Young said the conversations, allegedly, occurred on three separate occasions, in June, July and September 2016 in relation to the tendering of buses for the period.

Young said, “Understanding that it is our intelligence and our understanding that there is a police investigation that has been launched, what came to the party, today, was evidence of an audio recording of three separate occasions with Mr Harry Ragoonanan, a voice that has been identified as Mr Harry Ragoonanan’s talking to a Chinese businessman about the manipulation of certain tender processes at a State enterprise.”

Alluding to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s repeated declaration that the PNM will not hide or protect anyone that engages in corruption, Young revealed a general council member at yesterday’s meeting, produced evidence of three recorded telephone conversations “between someone whose voice appears to be that of Harry Ragoonanan saying that he can manipulate a bid at a State enterprise and the outcome of that bid by his relationship with a chairman of a State enterprise.”

Saying the party took those types of allegations very seriously, Young said a general council member moved a motion that was accepted unanimously by the general council that the matter be further investigated “in light of the serious nature of the allegation and this realm of corruption.”

He added: “What we, as a party want to indicate to the general public is that no one is above corruption and no one stands above the law.”

Describing the development as “a momentous day” for the PNM, Young said it was a clear indication the party can take a strong stand against corruption, regardless of who the member is.

In dealing with the allegations, Khan said the general council adopted and passed two resolutions, one of which involved referring the matter to the investigations committee on disciplinary matters, for the party’s consideration and recommendation.

The PNM’s disciplinary process has two levels. A matter for consideration is sent to the investigations committee on disciplinary matters.

Khan said the committee then submits a report to the general council.

“If the report is accepted, disciplinary charges are proffered. It goes to the disciplinary committee for final adjudication.”

The PNM chairman said that process already has been initiated.

Khan said because of the “gravity and seriousness” of the matter, the party also invoked article 22-6 of its constitution, which states that a member under investigation could be suspended during the investigation of the matter.

“So, in that regard, the general council agreed that Mr Harry Ragoonanan be suspended from the party during the investigation of this matter.”

Ragoonanan, who has been a member of the PNM almost from its inception, some 60 years ago, is said to have played a key role in the PNM since the advent of the Dr Keith Rowley-led administration, now midway in its term.