Young defends recusal from Cabinet matters linked to relatives

NATIONAL Security Minister Stuart Young recused himself 57 times from meetings of the Cabinet over the years 2016-2020 in matters involving close relatives while Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi recused himself 37 times in matters involving mainly property rentals for the same period.

The information was contained in a response to social and political activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj’s freedom of information request back in June.

In his request, Balgobin Maharaj wanted information on Government’s financial arrangements with NCB Global Finance, whose chief executive officer is the brother of the National Security Minister.

Maharaj sent separate freedom of information requests to the Cabinet, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Finance and the Urban Development Company of TT (Udecott) seeking answers.

From the Cabinet, he wanted copies of all notes and minutes for matters in which both Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and Young have recused themselves.

According to the information provided by secretary to the Cabinet, Young recused himself 57 times while Al-Rawi did so 37 times.

The Cabinet’s secretary, C Hemlee, said Cabinet documents were exempt under the Freedom of Information Act. Balgobin-Maharaj was also told that based on his letter, there was no reason in favour of disclosure of the exempt Cabinet documents.

However, the secretary supplied a list of matters for which both ministers recused themselves from matters which were before the Cabinet.

According to the information provided, Young’s recusal involved matters involving the International Financial Centre (IFC) of which his father, retired banker Richard Young, is chairman, as well as matters relating to NCB Global Finance.

According to the table provided, Young recused himself six times in 2016 and 2017; seven times in 2018; 20 times in 2019 and 18 times in 2020.

In terms of the Attorney General, Al-Rawi, who recused himself 37 times, alleged conflict involved the leasing/rental several properties, including 1 Alexandra Place, St Clair; rental of several office and warehouse spaces in Port of Spain, St Clair and El Socorro, for various ministries and variation of a Cabinet decision on the grant of a new agricultural/commercial/industrial lease relative to land at Orange Grove Estate.

The document also details his recusal from Cabinet meetings involving the report of the proceedings of an inter-agency committee for the evaluation of expressions of interest for a waste-to-energy facility at the Beetham Landfill Estate; the proposal for the remission of customs duties and VAT on a PET/CT scan machine imported b Alexandra Imaging Centre. There was also a proposal for the continued engagement of private health care institutions for the provision of surgical, radiological and laboratory services for patients of the public health care system for which he recused himself.

The document also shows him removing himself on Cabinet discussions on additional funding for the hosting of Carifesta XIV in TT in August last year, and approval of the final budget for the event; the grant of approval for Rincon Development to sell lands at Rincon Estate, Las Cuevas; the grant of a lease of reclaimed lands at Paria Avenue, Shorelands; and a proposal for the change of use of land at 1 Alexandra Street, St Clair, from residential to commercial.

Al-Rawi would have removed himself twice in 2016; nine times in 2917; 15 times in 2018; ten times in 2019 and twice in 2020.

The Opposition UNC has questioned the ministers’ involvement in Cabinet meetings and possible conflicts of interests.

In June, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar questioned if Young had recused himself from Cabinet meetings where loans, allegedly amounting to $2.5 billion, were approved to be borrowed from NCB Global Finance.

In reply, Young has said, “I have recused myself on every single occasion that NCBGF arises in any Cabinet note. I recuse myself and I do not participate in any discussion on these Cabinet notes. I have recused myself on every single Ministry of Finance Cabinet note that mentions NCBGF, whether it is successful or unsuccessful.

“This is recorded on every Cabinet minute that NCBGF is mentioned.”

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Young gave the reasons for removing himself from participating in discussions and decisions on Cabinet notes.

"I recused myself from some Cabinet Notes that were dealing with the award of contracts to certain contractors, after competitive tender.

"At the time I would have been involved in overseeing litigation against these contractors where they were alleged to have been involved in bid-rigging and other corrupt behaviour. I swore affidavits in support of the State’s pursuit of civil action against some of these contractors so I recused myself from Cabinet Notes involving the said contractors," he said.

He added, "My father, Richard Young, was appointed as the chairman of the International Financial Centre (IFC). He was also appointed as a member of a Cabinet appointed implementation committee to interact with the private sector.

"Accordingly, I recused myself from any Cabinet Note that mentioned the IFC and/ or the implementation committee,.. Cabinet Notes which laid before Cabinet the annual reports of the IFC,"

He denied his father was broker to transactions before the Cabinet.

Young continued, "As I have stated publicly before, I recused myself from any and every Cabinet Note in which NCBFG Limited was mentioned.

"It is this category of note that made up the vast majority of Cabinet Notes that I recused myself from.

"The Ministry of Finance engages in competitive tenders for financing and invites all of the financial institutions in Trinidad and Tobago to submit bids. The Ministry of Finance’s technocrats then analyse the various bids and advise the Cabinet which is the most beneficial/ competitive bid for the state to accept.

"I took the precaution of recusing myself from every single Ministry of Finance Cabinet Note that mentioned NCBFG regardless of which financial institution was successful. It should be noted that NCBFG has only been successful in 3.4 per cent of the financing awarded by the Ministry of Finance from 2015-2020 as was published by the Ministry of Finance recently," he said.

He stated emphatically that his brother was an employee of NCB Global Finance, not its owner. The financial institution is Jamaica-based.

"I took the precaution of recusing myself from any Cabinet Note that merely mentioned NCBFG as in my view, this is the right and decent thing to do. There is, and was, no beneficial interest to my family or me, save that my brother is an employee of NCBFG."

Young also disclosed he was a founding member of Synergy TV and WI Sport TV stations and "accordingly any Cabinet Note which mentioned either I recused myself from."

He was adamant that his family "has not personally benefited or financially benefited" from any Cabinet decision during his tenure as a minister.

In his requests, Balgobin-Maharaj said the public has always been skeptical to interactions between the Government and NCB Global Finance because of the blood relation between the Young brothers.

In the past, Opposition MP Roodal Moonilal has called for an Integrity Commission probe on the AG relating to the $23 million Government rental at 1 Alexandra Place.