Former prime minister defends party members in Trinidad corruption scandal
Saturday, May 22, 2004
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP): Trinidad and
Tobago opposition leader Basdeo Panday on Friday defended members and
supporters of his United National Congress (UNC) charged with a multi-million
dollar corruption scandal linked to a new airport terminal building.
"I have no regrets over how my administration handled the construction of the
terminal building", Panday, who was in power from 1995-2001, told reporters.
Nine people, including two former ministers -- Brian Kuei Tung (Finance) and
Sadiq Baksh (Works and Transportation) -- have been slapped with a total of 37
corruption and alleged fraud charges. They
have been granted bail in the sum of 166,000 dollars each and are due to
appear before Magistrate Ejenny Espinet in the Port-of-Spain Court on June 3.
Both Kuei Tung and Baksh were cabinet
ministers from 1995 to 2001. Spending on the
airport has been put at 300 million dollars though the initial cost was given
at 50 million dollars. Investigators claim some 25 million dollars were
spirited away and stashed in bank accounts overseas.
"I did what was right at the time. I had decided I would spend the state
resources in building roads, giving people water, building the airport and so
on. I have no regrets about that", said Panday.
"The present government is trying to destroy the UNC but they will not
succeed", said the former sugar workers union leader.
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