Al-Rawi: I don't fear UNC, Cepep probe

PNM Senator Faris Al-Rawi speaks to supporters at a public meeting at the Pleasantville Community Centre on August 12. - Innis Francis

AT the centre of a controversy involving the extension of over 300 Cepep contracts on the eve of the 2025 general election, former rural development and local government minister Faris Al-Rawi believes vengeance is the motive for the attack on him.

Addressing the issue on a PNM platform in Pleasantville on August 12, Al-Rawi referred to the key role of former attorney general Anand Ramlogan who is leading the charge in this matter on behalf of Cepep.

Al-Rawi said his evidence and statement in witness tampering and multiple others matters involving Ramlogan and attorney Vincent Nelson KC, when he served as AG in the PNM, is the reason for the retaliation.

“He (Ramlogan) is calling my name. He might be seeking vengeance.”

Being in public life for the past 15 years, Al-Rawi told the UNC Government, “you would have to come plenty better than that. I am defended by the truth, the law and logic.”

At a UNC platform in Couva on August 11, Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath announced the DPP was instructed to launch a criminal investigation into the controversial matter.

Waving a document to support his statement, Padarath advised Al-Rawi, “to put that in your pipe and smoke it.”

There are allegations that Cepep’s former board improperly extended over 300 contracts worth $1.4 billion without proper cabinet approval.

Laventille-based contractor Eastman Enterprises Ltd is challenging the termination of the contracts.

Justice Margaret Mohammed who is presiding over the matter has stayed the lawsuit and referred the matter to the DPP on August 8. DPP Roger Gaspard SC said he would review the documents and decide if a police investigation is required.

Al-Rawi, former San Fernando West MP now a PNM senator, said he was not afraid.

He said he had not received any pre-action protocol letter neither had the police come knocking on his door.

He said there was a lot of hearsay, “where (Cepep CEO Keith) Eddy said that (former Cepep chairman Joel) Edwards said that Faris say something. They judge considered the matter, said there are some allegations here and sent the files to the DPP.

“I have no problem with that. The DPP has no powers to investigate anything. He could get a file and send it by the police, and I welcome that. By the time they get to the police they have to explain why they left out paragraphs four of the 2017 cabinet note.”

Al-Rawi questioned the omission of key information from a letter Eddy wrote to new chairman, which gave the board the authority to approve contracts without cabinet approval.

He said they were doing it for nine years, but the UNC got it wrong.

He said the critical issue was that 11,000 people were without jobs and this threat of a criminal investigation was merely a distraction.

Countering the gains the UNC said it made in its first 100 years of office in Government, Al-Rawi said he reviewed their pre-election slogan yellow is the code, to yellow is the curse.

He said in the first 100 days, 30,000 people were fired - 11,000 from Cepep, 5,000 from URP, 5,000 from forestry and others from WASA, RHA.

“You feeling the love?” he asked.