Political Leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Jack Warner is outraged and disgusted by what he describes as the latest display of treachery by Speaker Wade Mark yesterday in disallowing seven urgent questions he filed as the MP for Chaguanas West.
According to Warner, what was the most appalling of all was the fact that four of his questions posed in the Parliament sought to find answers for the approximately 6,000 cane farmers and their 3,000 workers, as to what had become of the 77 million euros entrusted by the European Commission to the T&T Government for implementation of the exit strategy for former cane farmers and their workers under the EU’s National Adaptation Strategy for Sugar Protocol Countries.
“According to information obtained from various sources, at least 67 million euros have been allegedly paid over to the T&T Government, [of which] only 3 million euros remain, and not one red cent has reached the cane farmers or their workers for whom this money was intended, and who continue to struggle to access funding for making their exit from the sugar industry,” Warner said.
“The ILP is further advised that the monies were allegedly used by the Government to do things that were not contained in the official exit strategy for sugarcane farmers and their workers which was developed under the watch of the European Commission’s representatives, and assisted by the Ministry of Planning, the Ministry of Food Production and the cane farmers, and submitted to the Joint Committee chaired by Planning Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie in August 2013,” he added.
Warner further explained that any expenditure of the EU funds outside of the agreed and approved strategy would amount to an alleged misappropriation of funds.
“Given the alleged fact that none of this money has reached the cane farmers or their workers, it would mean that approximately TT$800 million has been diverted by the current administration. Where did this money go? And why did the PP have to reach such desperation as to have these questions blocked in the Parliament?” Warner said.