President Anthony Carmona on Monday appointed a three-member tribunal to conduct an inquiry to verify the contents of the declarations of income, assets and liabilities and statements of registrable interests of MP Jack Warner filed with the Integrity Commission of T&T.
In a press release yesterday the Office of the President said the appointment of the tribunal was made pursuant to Section 15 of the Integrity in Public Life Act, Chapter 22:01.
The tribunal comprises three members of the Integrity Commission who are retired Justice Sebastian Ventour, Selly-Ann Lalchan and Deonarine Jaggernaut.
But at an earlier press conference yesterday Chaguanas gardener, Dilraj Laloo said he intended to sue Carmona for failing to appoint a tribunal to enquire into certain declarations of income, assets and liabilities of political leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) and Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner.
Speaking on behalf of Laloo, his attorney Wayne Sturge, at his chambers at Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain, said Carmona had seven days in which to respond.
Failure to do so would result in the matter going to court, Sturge added.
He said over a year ago the Integrity Commission wrote to the President in accordance with Section 15 of the Integrity in Public Life Act Chap 22:01 to ask that a tribunal be appointed.
The matter was based on the report from the Integrity Committee of Concacaf which made certain findings of fraud and unethical dealings against Warner.
The committee had concluded that Warner committed fraud against Concacaf and Fifa in connection with the Centre of Excellence, Macoya.
Sturge said: “The continuing failure and or refusal to act on this matter has the clear potential to bring the Integrity Commission, the Office of the President and the rule of law into disrepute.
“The delay of over one year is inexplicable and inexcusable and amounts to an abdication of your statutory duty under Section 15 of the Integrity in Public Life Act to appoint an investigate a tribunal upon the request from the Integrity Commission.
“The failure to make a decision is neither fair to Mr Warner nor my client whom he represents in Parliament.”
Asked what prompted him to take this course of action Laloo said: “I want to join the ILP but I want to know what’s going on.”