Warner, starting the motion, said if Sunshine publications lifted the information from him, it was fine. He said he had brought the motion on Howai’s ability and competence as Howai had been FCB’s CEO and to see if Howai was fit and qualified for the turbulent times ahead. He said he would not speak of the court issue. Mark advised him to read his motion, which he did. Warner said he was guided by Mark’s ruling.
He said trust was an issue in T&T and the public was being told things would be alright in the face of the oil price drop. He said he was concerned about the ordinary man‘s position, if a CEO was paid “$11.2 million after losing a lot of money in a bank” and it was said they did a great job. Warner thanked the PNM for allowing his motion to go to the top of the agenda list for debate before other PNM motions.
He expressed concern on how Howai’s behaviour as FCB’s CEO would impact on his behaviour as a minister now. He said a Cemex issue was a case in point, noting a meeting Howai had in 2002 on a Cemex takeover. Warner attempted to speak on a report by Henry Ford, QC, on alleged insider trading but he was advised by Mark to stick to the issues of his motion.
Mark said Warner could not bring other matters into debate, only what was approved in the motion. He said Warner was entering a new area which was not approved. Warner said when he had earlier noted he would deal with matters pre-2006 and post-2009, he thought that was approved by Mark. Mark said he could not approve until he had heard what Warner was saying and had now heard. ”You are going in the wrong direction,”Mark added.
With that Warner said: “Thank you, I’m through.” He then packed up. Mark sought a seconder for the motion. PNM MPs — Deyalsingh and Fitzgerald Jeffrey — attempted to but were told by Warner not to bother. Warner then left. Mark then pronounced: “This debate has come to a premature end.”
The motion
Warner‘s motion called for MPs to express loss of confidence in Howai and for Howai’s appointment to be revoked by the Prime minister in connection with the. The motion noted Howai was CEO of state-owned FCB during 2006 to 2009 when a loan was granted to Carlton Savannah Limited for which the funds were to be used for the construction of a hotel.
It noted the Carlton Savannah Limited had been placed in receivership and the outstanding loan balance had negatively affected First Citizens Bank's non-performing loan ratio. The motion claimed Howai’s conduct in his previous capacity as CEO of FCB had eroded the confidence of the public in the minister’s ability to administer over the finances of the nation in the best interest of the public.