Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessary is calling on President Christine Kangaloo to explain her rationale for choosing Mr. Haydn Gittens, the close neighbour and friend of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bridgid Annisette-George and her husband Newman George, to be appointed Integrity Commission Chairman.
In a statement on Monday, Persad-Bissessar said what is most concerning is that at no time did President Kangaloo or Mr. Gittens himself see the need to show personal integrity and disclose the close ties of Mr. Gittens to high-ranking individuals in the PNM hierarchy.
She said: “Mr Gittens must also disclose if any member of his family was previously appointed to a state board by the Rowley Government. It appears that this appointment shows definite signs of cronyism, nepotism, and bias toward the sitting Government.”
Mr. Haydn Gittens was appointed as Chairman of the Integrity Commission following the expiry of Professor Rajendra Ramlogan’s term in office on January 11, 2024. Just weeks before Gittens’ appointment, Dr Rowley publicly complained about an investigation into his financial affairs by the Integrity Commission under Professor Ramlogan’s leadership.
He accused the Commission of being “ill-advised” and “politically motivated”. He also claimed that the Commission was deliberately attempting to tarnish his reputation.
Persad-Bissessar said the Government also severely reduced funding to the Integrity Commission under Mr. Ramlogan’s term, making it difficult for the institution to undertake its public duties.
From those remarks and actions, it is clear that the Government wanted a subservient and passive Integrity Commission.
“Out of a population of 1.4 million people, it appears that President Christine Kangaloo installed Mr. Haydn Gittens, the close neighbour, and friend of the Speaker of the House of Representatives Bridgid Annisette-George and her husband Newman George, to be Integrity Commission Chairman.
Mr. George, the best friend of Keith Rowley, is the embattled Chairman of the State-owned Paria Fuel Trading Company and also owns a townhouse in the scandal-plagued Inez Gate development.”
She added: “This is the same development where Keith Rowley received a four hundred-thousand-dollar discount on a townhouse, a purchase that is under active investigation by the Integrity Commission.
“Most concerning is that at no time did President Kangaloo or Gittens himself see the need to show personal integrity and disclose the close ties of Gittens to high-ranking individuals in the PNM hierarchy.”
The Opposition leader said since the Chair of the Integrity Commission must be universally viewed as impartial, neutral and dispassionate, President Kangaloo must explain how she arrived at Gittens’ name in the first place.
“It appears that this appointment shows definite signs of cronyism, nepotism and bias toward the sitting Government. Mr Gittens must also disclose if any member of his family was previously appointed to a state board by the Rowley Government. ”