Deyalsingh dismisses Hosein's corruption claims

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on Wednesday rejected allegations by Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein that his relatives own land in the area where the Churchill Roosevelt Highway Extension to Manzanilla Phase One from Cumuto Junction to Toco is to be built in East Trinidad.

Hosein made his allegations at a UNC public meeting in Princes Town on Monday.

In a statement issued by his ministry, Deyalsingh said, "For the record, I wish to put on the public record that neither myself nor any member of my family own any land, or have any interest in any parcel of land concerning the Cumuto Manzanilla Highway."

Hosein claimed to have documents that indicate Deyalsingh recused himself from Cabinet deliberations on the highway because his relatives allegedly owned land in the area.

“I want to ask tonight whether any minister’s land or their family’s land is going to be acquired in that project?”

Deyalsingh described Hosein's comments and attempts to politicise a longstanding Cabinet protocol as unfortunate.

He said, "The matter of recusals in Cabinet deliberations is the honourable, ethical and correct thing to do, designed to protect the public interest, and is an integral part of good governance.

"The public is advised that matters of recusals should not be weaponised to deliberately mislead the public."

In over 13 years in public life, Deyalsingh said, he has always acted in the public’s interest and upheld "the principles of transparency and integrity in public office."

He vowed this would never change.

One of the items on the agenda of Wednesday's sitting of the House of Representatives was debate on a motion in the name of Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan to approve a decision by President Christine Kangaloo to acquire land for public purposes.

That purpose is the construction of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway Extension to Manzanilla Phase One from Cumuto Junction to Toco Main Road, Chainage. The motion covers 32 parcels of land in the Guaico/Tamana area.

The Senate is also scheduled to debate this motion when it sits on May 2 from 1.30 pm.