UNITED National Congress (UNC) Senator Wade Mark “buss” the wrong “mark”, in Parliament last week, when he accused Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams of being a signatory to a $2 million slush fund at a branch of First Citizens Bank, Port of Spain.

A “misprint” on the information passed to Mark has now caused Senate President Dr. Linda Baboolal to refer the Senator to the Privileges Committee for allegedly giving false information to the Senate.

JOAN YUILLE-
WILLIAMS

But sources in the Culture Ministry say that Senator Mark missed the “mark” and instead should have asked Senator Yuille-Williams whether there is any truth in a report that the Trinbago Unified Calypso Organisation (TUCO) had paid a debt of more than $100,000 for her last month.

One source said that Mark should call for an audit of TUCO’s accounts to stop allegations that funds are being siphoned out of its account for purposes other than calypso.

TUCO has always been saying the organisation is in the red after Carnival.

This year the Ministry of Culture is pumping more than $7 million into calypso for the Carnival season.

The majority of funds are going to TUCO’s l0 tents in East, West, North, South and Tobago.

The management of Calypso Revue has complained about small funding from the Ministry of Culture, saying that they were only getting money for advertisements and some “small change”.

But this was denied by Yuille-Williams.

Spektakula Promotions was forced to cancel the opening of its calypso tent this year because of no financial support from the Ministry of Culture.

TUCO President Michael Leggerton has denied that his organisation paid a debt for Senator Yuille-Williams.

He is even threatening to sue those who are making the allegation.

When asked about the major part of the $7 million being invested in TUCO this year, Leggerton said: “Calypsonians never had it so good.”

He said there are a number of projects TUCO has embarked on to benefit calypsonians, including a recording studio at TUCO’s head office in Port of Spain.

Leggerton, who goes under the sobriquet, “Protector”, said Senator Yuille-Williams has been trying to assist the organisation to make it viable. He noted that when he took office three years ago,TUCO had a debt of $2.5 million, which is nearly wiped off.

But some People’s National Movement (PNM) officials are saying that Prime Minister Patrick Manning has been hearing certain rumours about his Culture Minister’s association with TUCO.

But they are sure he would move with the same haste to launch an investigation as he did with three of his minister -- Housing Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, former Works and Transport Minister Franklin Khan and Energy Minister Eric Williams.

Yuille-Williams has been the campaign manager for Prime Minister Manning and has also acted as Prime Minister during his absence from the country on several occasions.