Opposition MP for Naparima, Rodney Charles, has called for an investigation into the financing of the new headquarters of the People’s National Movement (PNM), the Balisier House building.
Speaking at the United National Congress (UNC) Monday night forum at the Macaulay Community Centre in Claxton Bay, Charles said: “Balisier House is the living testimony to PNM opulence and extravagance, whether it be contractors paid inflated sums with surpluses being channelled into constructing Balisier House, whether it is unscrupulous businessmen who would open to feed off the PNM, trough, whether it is unsavoury white collar criminals laundering their ill-gotten gains, ladies and gentlemen, Balisier House shall forever live in infamy in Trinidad and Tobago and all associated with it shall be called to account one day.”
Charles said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley could not expect citizens to believe that the funds being used for the reconstruction came from the sale of raffle tickets at $100 per ticket.
“Where did Babylon (PNM) get the required $50 to $100 million?… Which financiers allegedly donated the ten cars raffled? Who are they?” he asked.
“We call on the FIU (Financial Intelligence Unit), we call on the Counter Trafficking Unit, and yes, we call on the Commissioner of Police to simply call in Dr Rowley and get the accounts because there is something rotten in the state of Trinidad and Tobago and in Balisier House.The country is depending on these bodies to act fearlessly and without favour,” Charles said.
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