Wade Mark: Did PM check on Naveen Jindal?

OPPOSITION Senator Wade Mark has asked whether the Prime Minister had done done a background check on the business dealings of Indian businessman Naveen Jindal, known as due diligence, before Dr Rowley welcomed the steel magnate's interest in buying TT's oil refinery.

Mark and temporary opposition senator Dominic Smith held a briefing on August 4 to address economic issues, the day after Rowley lambasted the Opposition for allegedly driving away Jindal as a potential investor.

Mark alleged Jindal was on corruption charges in India and had to seek court permission to travel outside his homeland.

He said the Opposition had the right to raise issues and served to stand in the gap between a corrupt administration and the people's welfare. Mark said the Opposition had likewise also raised issues over Jamaican businessman the late Butch Stewart, and on a Chinese company seeking to build 5,000 housing units in TT.

Mark alleged Rowley had met two American electricians keen to lease the refinery, but wondered whether the PM had done due diligence on them.

He said the Opposition had asked Rowley if Jindal was linked to the Government of Venezuela. Alleging Jindal was involved in a deal to explore for oil in Venezuela's Orinoco Delta, Mark asked if such a deal was linked to TT's oil refinery. The senator alleged Jindal had planned to invest US$800 million in an iron ore plant in Venezuela.

Mark flatly denied Rowley's claim that the Opposition was chasing investors away from TT, saying the People's Partnership government had attracted billions of dollars in foreign direct investment.

He then questioned the gift of rice and cooking oil from Haryana, alleging that Indian state's chief minister was actually Jindal's brother.

A Google search revealed Om Prakash Jindal was a former minister of power in Haryana and died in 2005 at 74.

"Is there a link between cooking oil and rice and an attempt to sell our refinery?" Mark asked. "Did our Prime Minister do a due diligence before he accepted this gift?"

Mark cited the Business Standard magazine of India to say in 2006 and 2007, Jindal had got development rights for iron-ore mining in Bolivia, based on his investing US$2.4 billion.

Saying Jindal had donated vaccines, fans and fumigation drives to Bolivia, Mark suggested those measures were gifts to try to win over local people, even as he drew parallels with gifts of rice and cooking oil to TT. He said Jindal's Bolivia iron deal fell through after inadequate investment after eight years.

Mark alleged TT and Bolivia faced the "same playbook," as he alleged, "Jindal had no intention whatsoever in investing in TT."

He said the businessman was now assessing risks in TT and Venezuela, saying, "He is no fool."

Mark accused Rowley of teaching Jindal to blame the Opposition over his stalled interest in the refinery.

"We take no lessons from Mr Jindal."

Saying Rowley  was in his last days as PM, Mark told him to keep his "paws" off the refinery.

Mark said Jindal ought to thank the Opposition now, as without its input he might have been due to face serious charges in TT over the refinery bid had he not pulled out.

He alleged that in entertaining Jindal's interest in the refinery, the Government had breached the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act, as he alleged it had ignored nine other bidders.

"Don't try to scapegoat us for your sins of omission and commission. We are committed to safeguarding and protecting the public interest."