tidings
Marlene McDonald speaks to the media in her capacity as Minister of Public Administration in August 2018. – FILE PHOTO/SURESH CHOLAI
BEFORE Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee faced charges of alleged fraud on Friday, the country had seen only two politicians, albeit high-profile, charged in the past two decades in public office.
Most recently, former MP for Port of Southern Spain Marlene McDonald was charged in April 2019, along with four others, in relation to alleged offenses dating between 2008 and 2009.
McDonald was relieved of her duties as minister and deputy political leader of PNM in August 2019 after facing the allegations.
McDonald was accused of misconduct in improperly approving a $2.3 million payment for the construction of a project at the Marcano quarry in Laventille.
While the misconduct charge was dropped in March, McDonald is still before the courts on three charges of conspiracy to defraud, two of misconduct in public office and another of money laundering.
She was charged alongside her long-time friend Michael Carew, Wayne Anthony, Victor McEachrane (both contractors) and Edgar Zepherine, former chairman of the National Self-Help Commission.
All five of the accused faced dozens of charges of attempting to defraud the government by purporting to have procured funds, over $1 million from the Ministry of Community Development and Culture, for the Calabar Foundation.
Calabar was set up in 2010 by Carew, who allegedly disguised it as a charity.
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Former Prime Minister and UNC leader Basdeo Panday. FILE PHOTO –
In the first case, an event that made international news, former prime minister and UNC leader Basdeo Panday was charged with three counts of fraud in 2002, in the run-up to that year’s general elections.
He was found guilty of failing to declare a bank account he and his wife, Oma Panday, maintained in London. The former prime minister was convicted of the crime in 2006. He was initially sentenced to two years of hard labor and a $20,000 fine. However, a year later the conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal.
In May 2005, the Pandays were arrested on corruption charges stemming from a $250,000 payment the pair received from businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh and former UNC government minister Carlos John as an inducement to give Northern Construction – the headed by Galbaransingh – a contract for Piarco Airport Development. The project. Charges against Panday were dropped in 2012.
Galbaransingh and John were also charged.
