By Clint Chan Tack Sunday, August 10 2008

THE OPPOSITION UNC Alliance is sickened by the length of time being taken by the police to investigate allegations of corruption outlined in the report of the Gladys Gafoor Commission of Inquiry into the public health sector.

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh told Sunday Newsday he received a letter dated August 8 from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson. Gopeesingh said that in that letter, the DPP informed him that the police are continuing investigations into the allegations and he would be informed of the status of those investigations in due course.

The UNC A MP also said he received a letter from the Integrity Commission last month in which the Commission also informed him that police investigations were on-going. Gopeesingh said the Opposition is “not satisfied” with the slow pace of these investigations and alleged that the concerns raised by the Gafoor inquiry will be “swept under the carpet”, similar to past inquiries. He added that the Opposition will continue to press for “a speedy conclusion” to this matter and he forwarded a copy of the DPP’s letter to Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert.

The Gafoor Report was presented to President George Maxwell Richards on April 13, 2007 and Prime Minister Patrick Manning laid the report in the House of Representatives on June 1, 2007. The Prime Minister said in light of some of the allegations contained in the report and for the purpose of “total transparency”, he sent copies of the report to Henderson, to the then Police Commissioner Trevor Paul and the Integrity Commission. “In addition, the Government proposes to launch appropriate investigations where such has been indicated by the Commission,” Manning said. One of the concerns raised in the report was the alleged existence of “ghost firms” in the health sector.

In June this year, Attorney General Bridgid Annisette-George informed the House that police investigations into the allegations raised in the Gafoor Report were continuing. Health Minister Jerry Narace said some of the recommendations outlined in the report to improve the health sector were in various stages of implementation. The Gafoor Commission was appointed on March 10, 2005 and held its first public sitting on September 11, 2006.