Government is moving swiftly to file a formal complaint with the Integrity Commission against People’s National Movement (PNM) senator Faris Al-Rawi for possible breaches to the Integrity in Public Life Act.
In a brief text exchange with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar confirmed that she has already spoken to Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Minister of the Environment Ganga Singh, to file the complaint.
The move came hours after the PM at a UNC Monday Night Forum in San Juan on Monday raised the issue of a possible conflict of interest in a matter Al-Rawi raised during last week’s senate debate.
During the senate debate on the T&T/Panama Partial Scope Trade Agreement Bill 2014 last Tuesday, Al-Rawi raised the issue of the cost of local energy from the T&T Electricity Commission (TTEC) versus that of Panama. He cited an ongoing issue between a private industrial company and TTEC over the proposed increase in rates from $41 to $43 per kilo-volt-amp (kVA) to $125 per kVA.
In the course of that debate, during crosstalk with Planning Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie, Al-Rawi confirmed that the private industrial company was his client, international steel giant ArcelorMittal, Point Lisas Ltd. He said then that several manufacturing companies were facing that issue, not just his client.
“Of the about 450,000 customers of TTEC, his client is the only customer of TTEC in the factual matrix he described and spoke about,” Persad-Bissessar said.
She said while Al-Rawi told the Senate that he was speaking on behalf of all the industrial customers, it was only his client that was currently negotiating the move from $41 to $43 kVA to $125 kVA.
“So he could not be speaking for all industrial customers,” Persad-Bissessar said.
Persad-Bissessar also referred to the Code of Ethics for Parliamentarians, which included ministers.
That document states that “a parliamentarian should not allow the pursuit of his private interests to interfere with the proper discharge of his public duties” and also stipulates that “at meetings of the Cabinet and its committees, a Minister should disclose to his colleagues when he has an interest which does, or might reasonably be thought likely to, conflict with his public duty as a Minister” and that that declaration should be noted in the Hansard records.
The document also notes that the minister should either indicate that he will not take part in the discussion in question or else secure the explicit authorisation of his colleagues to take part.
Declaring interest
Persad-Bissessar also referred to Standing Order 84 and the May’s Parliamentary Privilege.
Standing Order 84 states that “when a matter is not provided for, resort shall be had to the usage and practice of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.” She also said the May’s Parliamentary Practice contains a chapter on the rules governing the conduct of members regarding the disclosure of financial interest.
May’s Parliamentary Practice states that “no member shall, in consideration of any remuneration, fee, payment or reward or benefit in kind, direct or indirect advocate or initiate any cause of matter on behalf of any outside body or individual.” It also states that a member is required to declare any such interest to the Parliament.
“This declaration should be made at the beginning of his contribution,” Persad-Bissessar contended, adding that she checked the Hansard records and there was no such declaration by Al-Rawi.