Tuesday, November 3 2009

INDEPENDENT Senator Michael Annisette has filed two questions for oral response in the Senate as he continues his campaign to fire back at Diego Martin West MP, Dr Keith Rowley.

Apparently taking a cue from Rowley, who last month filed a question for oral response to Finance Minister Karen Nunez Tesheira asking for details of Udecott chairman Calder Hart’s salaries on several State boards, Annisette has now filed two questions in relation to the Scarborough Hospital project.

Newsday understands that the first of the two questions asks Health Minister Jerry Narace to disclose the details of an unspecified ministerial inquiry into the hospital project. The second question asks Attorney General John Jeremie to reveal what action he will take in relation to the project.

The questions were filed on October 21 by Annisette and approved by the Senate President on October 26.

In his contribution to the debate on legislation to validate the Uff Commission of Inquiry on October 1, Annisette attempted to link Rowley with the one-time contractor for the Tobago project, NHIC. But by letter despatched last week, Rowley denied any connection with NHIC or any business links with the company’s chairman, Emile Elias.

“Our client has never had, nor does he now have any interest or connection, whatsoever, with NHIC; neither does he have any business connection with (NHIC chairman) Emile Elias,” attorney Margaret Rose wrote in a pre-action protocol letter.

After being attacked by Prime Minister Patrick Manning for his questioning of the affairs of Udecott, a question filed by Rowley earlier appeared on the Lower House’s Order Paper. Rowley asked Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira to state Udecott chairman Calder Hart’s salaries for heading: Udecott, the Home Mortgage Bank, the Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Company, National Insurance Board and the National Insurance Board Property Development Com-pany.

Last week Friday, Leader of Government business Colm Imbert deferred Rowley’s question for two weeks.