Government, UNC fight over food boxes

AGRICULTURE Minister Clarence Rambharat on Thursday  told Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein to "grow up" in a public retort to Hosein's complaints about the Government's allocation of food boxes for needy constituents during the ongoing restrictions meant to curb the spread of covid19.

Rambharat used the post-Cabinet briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's to counter Hosein's complaints on Wednesday at a UNC virtual briefing, attended by UNC PRO Dr Kirk Meighoo, Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed and Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram.

Hosein had complained that the Government had constantly claimed to be supplying MPs with 25,000 food boxes, but individual MPs had been told their allocation was being cut from 600 to 400, suggesting each MP had to cut 200 families from their list of beneficiaries. A UNC statement later on Wednesday said, "No public announcement was made about this cutback. To the contrary, on the next day, 11 May, Colm Imbert on Twitter repeated that the Government would be delivering 25,000 hampers for covid relief, a clear untruth."

Imbert did not reply to Newsday's query about this claim.

Mohammed said Namdevco had refused his request for hampers by saying these were only for MPs, but a former PNM general election candidate Sharda Satram had posted photos on Facebook of her distributing 100 hampers from Namdevco.

Hosein said, "How is it that private citizens were given hampers meant for MPs?"

Newsday was unable to contact Satram.

The UNC statement urged, "We need an investigation into Namdevco and political bias in the use of taxpayers’ money."

"We call on the Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries to conduct a full investigation into this alleged malfeasance and to provide full disclosure as to how and why this happened.

"Who got these hampers? What was the process used in applying for and receiving? To whom were they given to distribute and who authorized such activity?

Rambharat chided Hosein, saying while both men had once been members of TT's Youth Parliament, he was now in the real Parliament but Hosein was allegedly acting as if still in the Youth Parliament.

"Something is wrong with him," Rambharat alleged. "He needs his head examined."

Rambharat said that rather than a cut, the allocation to each MP was being increased to 1,200 food boxes.

He turned his guns on Hosein, who he said had submitted the names of only 200 people to get hampers. He read out a letter from a constituent seeking a food box, complaining that when she contacted Hosein's office, she was told none were available.

Rambharat said Hosein had made no extra request on top of the 200 sought, although two NGOs in San Juan had made requests.

He said among the NGOs requesting hampers to distribute were the Police Second Division Welfare Association (1,000 food boxes), National Carnival Band Leaders Association (100), and the National Aids Coordinating Committee (439). Rambharat attested that every day people ask him how to get a hamper/food-box

Rambharat had earlier said on Wednesday in a statement, “I wish to say that any allegations of impropriety are without basis and totally unsupported by the facts.

“The facts will show that during a May 10 press conference hosted by the Minister of Finance, the Government extended the food basket programme until July, and possibly the end of September, effectively doubling the number of families who would benefit."

Rambharat said of the initial allotment of 25,000 relief packages, about 52 per cent were given to UNC constituencies. He said Namdevco figures showed 13 out of 19 UNC MPs had each received 300 packages by May 19, just two weeks after the programme was announced.

"They include Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram who has so far collected more than 400 food packages based on a list of 400 names he originally submitted to Namdevco and Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein who received 200 packages precisely because his original list had 200 names."

He said data showed 12,000 families across all 41 constituencies had received food packages by late Wednesday.

Rambharat said another 735 packages had gone to a number of NGOs for distribution.

“It is regrettable that I have to break out the numbers to prove which constituency got what, but the UNC is once again engaged in cheap politics at a time when the entire country is hurting.”

Rambharat said while the pandemic continues, the Government remained committed to providing for all citizens across all constituencies who need support under the food relief programme.

Newsday sent him a text asking how Satram got the Namdevco hampers.

Rambharat replied, "It is clear the UNC reps targeted Ms Satram as a former UNC member who came over to the PNM.

"Since the veggie boxes programme started in 2020 we have worked with NGOs, CBOs and faith based organisations. This is particularly where we have extra packages or when the MP does not provide the full (number) of names. Since this distribution started on May 7, 735 families were given support through NGOs."

He said Satram and other NGOs approached Namdevco, which was trying to accommodate as many bona fide requests as it could.

"The mayor approached Namdevco on behalf of the borough corporation asking for packages for the eight councillors to distribute. The programme does not include the 14 municipal bodies or the councillors. The mayor was encouraged to approach the four MPs whose constituencies cover the eight electoral districts of the Chaguanas borough."

Newsday asked the criteria for choosing NGOs.

Rambharat replied, "In the May 3 announcement of the 25,000 to be distributed, it was said it will be done through the MPs.

"But when the further restrictions were announced on May 7, the honourable PM said there will be some adjustments because we were now dealing with a larger pool of persons who could not work. So Namdevco catered to assist NGOs, CBOs and faith-based organisations as far as possible.

"The criterion is based on registration and community work."

Newsday asked which NGOs benefited, and whether the number of hampers per MP was cut from 600 to 400.

Rambharat replied, "It’s 1,200 for the 12-week period to end of July. We average 100 per week for each MP, but they can request more once the 12-week total is 1,200.

"It also depends on how much produce is available so we gave them 400 for the month of May as a guide because of the rains at the start of May."