Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 06:16

CoP’s arrest detection or deflection?

THE EDITOR: As the citizenry would know, Finance Minister Colm Imbert and the Cabinet lost their appeal at the Privy Council to disallow the Auditor General, Jaiwantie Ramdass, to judicially review Imbert’s decision to probe the understatement of $2.6 billion in the country’s national accounts. Members of the Privy Council went as far as to question why the Auditor General was the only one being investigated and not Minister Imbert as well, inferring a degree of bias by their words and tone. Consequently, the public is very eager to find out what action, if any, is being taken considering the feedback from the esteemed Privy Council and the quantity of state funds involved. Incredibly, the day after that “mark buss” the nation was shocked (all excepting Kamla Persad-Bissessar) at the news of CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher being detained and subsequently arrested at the Police Administration building in Port of Spain. The arrest surrounds her alleged involvement in the importation of firearms and related accessories – specifically, two high-powered, sophistica­ted sniper rifles (AX2 bolt-action rifles) for the Strategic Services Agency (SSA). Her arrest followed the arrest of Roger Best, former director of the SSA, a few hours before Harewood-Christopher was detained. Best was also arrested in connection with the weapons. Given the timing of the CoP’s arrest, perceptions are running wild in the public domain as to whether the latter debacle was orchestrated to deflect from the billion-dollar scandal involving the Finance Minister and the Auditor General’s findings. TT is in an election year where drama and shenanigans of varied natures can be expected. Until more details of the foregoing scenarios are revealed, the question remains: genuine detection or crafty deflection? DEXTER RIGSBY Mt Lambert The post CoP’s arrest detection or deflection? appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.