| THE
Opposition United National Congress (UNC) is calling on government
to reveal the status of the corruption investigation involving Energy
Minister Eric Williams.
Former Works Minister Franklin Khan appeared in the Port of Spain
Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday to answer six charges of
misconduct in public office.
He was granted bail in the sum of $250,000.
Opposition members say they are worried that Williams, who is supposedly
under investigation for the same allegations of corruption, has
been “quietly absolved”.
Earlier this year, Khan, Member of Parliament for Ortoire/Mayaro,
former Minister of Works and chairman of the ruling People’s
National Movement (PNM), was accused along with Williams of accepting
bribes from PNM Councillor Dhansam Dhansook on several different
occasions between January and July 2003.
Following the allegations, Khan resigned as Minister of Works, but
retained his positions as parliamentary representative and PNM party
chairman.
A release from the UNC’s Communications Unit noted that, unlike
Khan, Williams has so far refused to resign from his ministerial
post.
However, the release does not mention Dhansook, who blew the whistle
on the two ministers by alleging that he had paid bribes to them.
Like Williams, Dhansook, if his claims are correct, is yet to be
charged for bribing a minister, and is still a councillor in the
Mayaro-Rio Claro Regional Corporation. |
