Kamla defends Sasha
Originally printed at
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Kamla_defends_Sasha-124752319.htmlBy Joel Julien joel.julien@trinidadexpress.com
June 29, 2011
PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar has come out in defence of her special adviser Sasha Mohammed amid calls from various sectors for Mohammed to resign or be fired.
Persad-Bissessar said that not enough evidence has been obtained to condemn Mohammed for allegedly issuing a threatening email to Express editor-in-chief Omatie Lyder and reporter Anna Ramdass.
On January 30 a threatening e-mail was sent to Lyder and Ramdass by someone named using the name "Janice Thomas" in connection with the Reshmi Ramnarine story being investigated by the Express.
On June 17, Mohammed was issued a warning by police after a probe uncovered that the e-mail originated from the computer at her home. Mohammed has denied the allegations.
"From what I have read Miss Mohammed has denied the accusations. I do not have evidence which says that allegation is true and therefore it is a difficult situation to condemn someone, who we do not have evidence that they have done wrong," Persad-Bissessar said.
"There has been a lot of noise on the issue and well so. I have no doubt that it is a very sensitive matter but at the same time we cannot act everytime someone makes an allegation because then I would end up with no one around me," she said.
Persad-Bissessar made the statement on Tuesday night during a reception held at the Trinidad Hilton, St Ann's, for the Caribbean Regional Colloquium on Women which started yesterday. This is her first full statement on the issue.
Persad-Bissessar also defended Works Minister Jack Warner using the same logic.
Warner was named as an accessory in relation to bribery allegations by world football governing body, FIFA, but has since resigned from the organisation. The allegations stem from a meeting held in May at the Hyatt Regency, in Port of Spain where former FIFA presidential candidate Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam presented gifts amounting to US$1 million to Caribbean football chiefs.
"People are asking what is the difference with Mary King and Sasha Mohammed and Jack Warner. The difference is with Mary King that information was within our reach, we could find it, it was in our jurisdiction and we got statements and got the evidence but with respect to Warner and Mohammed it is not in reach of our knowledge," Persad-Bissessar said.
On May 10 , King was fired as Planning Minister following a Sunday Express exclusive investigation detailing her involvement in the awarding of a $100,000 contract to a company, Ixanos, in which her family has an interest. The contract was to build and service a website for the Ministry.
"Every time an allegation arises then I would have to take out someone. Then it would be easy for anyone to stand up and make an allegation against anyone and know that once the allegation is made they must resign. I have no intention of having my government destroyed," she said.
Persad-Bissessar said Mohammed's employment contract is currently under review as a precautionary measure by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister.
"The contract is being reviewed because of the perception that has been created. The contract is being reviewed so we can decide what direction we can and cannot go in," she said.