Padarath unfazed by threats over CEPEP terminations

Shane Superville

Senior Reporter

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Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath says he is unfazed after receiving threats over the cancellations of Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) contracts.

Despite this, he maintains that precautions will be taken to protect himself and his family.

During the United National Congress’s Monday Night Report in Couva earlier this week, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar confirmed that Padarath, Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen and Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) programme manager Feroze Khan had been threatened over the cancellations.

Responding to Guardian Media’s questions via WhatsApp yesterday, Padarath confirmed that the matter was brought to his attention by the T&T Police Service but did not divulge additional details on the matter.

However, he said the resistance from underworld figures was not unexpected, given Government’s efforts to disrupt criminal networks, especially from accessing public funds.

“As a public official who is serving at the frontline of the Government and making substantial changes and articulating those changes, there will be push back, particularly from the criminal elements whose source of funds is being disrupted through state contracts,” Padarath said.

“I swore to uphold the Constitution and the law without fear or favour, I will not be deterred. However, I will take precautions to protect my family.”

Padarath added that there were “specific protocols” in responding to such matters and declined to comment further.

Guardian Media also contacted URP programme manager Khan, who declined to comment on the matter.

Phone calls and WhatsApp messages to Ameen went unanswered up to press time.

Meanwhile, People’s National Movement chairman and former Public Utilities minister Marvin Gonzales said he was also threatened during his time in office, particularly after he exposed corruption within the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

“The lives of me and my family were put on threat,” he said during his appearance on CNC3’s The Morning Brew programme yesterday, adding that police told him criminals were being used as a political tool, something his party would not do.

Gonzales also claimed the Government’s activities would “cross paths with these gangsters.”

Guardian Media sent questions to Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro to verify whether the police were aware of these issues, but did not receive a response up to news time.