YES, it’s Christmastime again, but it also seems to be the season of corruption.

Or, rather, the season of rumours and allegations of more corruption.

Quite a few are already before the local courts, while some will soon go before the American courts for allegedly “interfering with poor people’s money”, more or less.

“But what ent meet you ent pass you,” as the elders would say, and word in the rumour mill is that many more are to be charged.

One politician has already threatened to take both the media and his accuser to court for “unsubstantiated allegations”.

Trinidad and Tobago Deposits the Instrument
of Ratification in the Inter-American
Convention Against Terrorism.

That is his right.

But he better be right!

Prime Minister Patrick Manning didn’t give it a second thought when certain information was passed to him about alleged corrupt activity.

Manning immediately passed the information on to the Integrity Commission, unlike another prime minister who ignored the message; behaviour by that other PM, it seemed, which resulted in another messenger being killed.

Yes, like him or not, Manning did the correct thing, despite the attempt by some to denigrate the Integrity Commission.

Let the chips fall where they must.

Those who are entrusted with the public’s purse have a greater responsibility to ensure morality in public affairs.

No amount of stupid talk about race and discrimination must be allowed to take away from the reality that some people may well be guilty of stealing the children’s milk money, a crime for which they must pay dearly.

Whether you are United National Congress (UNC), People’s National Movement (PNM), State Board official of whatever, public office calls for a particular kind of behaviour.

Many of us wish that the legal process will move a tad faster so that justice, which some shout about at the top of their voices but do not believe in, will take its course and consign some of the pretenders to the rubbish heap of history … or to jail, where they probably rightly belong.

The temptation will always be great, we know, but that is the point exactly.

So, if you are not up to the task, quit while you are ahead.

Of course, as journalists, we always have to be careful about the information about corruption or allegations of corruption crossing our desks.

How do we treat with some of the documents, letters, etc. that end up in our hands.

Some people have information, probably good information, but without proper documentation to back it up, it becomes almost useless, at times.

And when corporate communication managers (public relations officers, nah) either refuse to comment or hide behind the excuse that that is libellous, so they have nothing to say, it makes it doubly harder for us to properly investigate certain allegations and expose wrongdoings.

One such document sent to TnT Mirror recently made some damning allegations against certain officials at Petrotrin.

Arnold Corneal, the State-owned oil company corporate communications manager, termed it “a very unfortunate document, malicious and mischievous, very damaging” but refused to say anything at all about its contents.

In order words, Corneal’s comment was a lesson on how not to comment.

He reminded me about that next joker at the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (TTEC).

And a major burden was placed on the shoulders of yours truly by the document writer, who remained anonymous, of course.

“Please, Mr. Millette, print all the above to stop the corruption and wanton wastage of our island’s money.

“Soon the oil money go run out and we will be ketching we arse while (name called) and he boys will be sitting pretty with all the money.”

Unfortunately, no documents were supplied by the writer to support the allegations that millions of dollars are being stolen in many different forms and fashion by certain officials.

The names of both PNM and UNC boys passed in the rush, more or less giving credence to the view that they are birds of the same feather.

The document makes sweeping allegations about exorbitant medical expenses, the digging up of Guaracara Park for refinery plants, a chronic wife-beater, nepotism, White on Black racism, dead men walking, pension shenanigans and a toilet paper thief.

Are the allegations true or false?

Ask Corneal, whose attitude told a story.

I also have in my possession, documents making allegations about recent wrong doings at the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (TTEC) and at the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

Bob Marley made it clear in song that “If I am guilty I will pay.”

He was man enough to admit that he had shot the sheriff.

TnT politicians and high office holders are never wrong.

They always have an excuse for whatever went wrong.

Rest assured though that they are never responsible.

They deserve then, nothing less than Bob Marley-type justice: If they are guilty they must pay.

The people are saying: If they stole our children’s milk money, jail them.

Stealing from the treasury must surely be an act of terrorism, some people also conclude.