(Trinidad Express) The Integrity Commission yesterday confirmed that it is probing Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) chairman Jearlean John.
John, however, told the Express that she is innocent of any allegations and that there was a conspiracy against her.
Chairman of the Integrity Commission, Eric St Cyr, yesterday confirmed to the Express that John, also the managing director of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), was being investigated.
“The matter has only recently come to us so it’s being investigated,” said St Cyr.
He did not divulge details of the nature of the probe but the Express understands that it has to do with allegations of a conflict of interest.
Asked if John was informed that she was the subject of an investigation, St Cyr said he was unable to say as he was not in office but at home.
Contacted in London, England, on the issue, John said she was surprised to hear that she was under investigation.
She said she did not know what allegations were being levelled against her but noted that accusations were made on blogs that her daughter—attorney Aisha Serrette —was awarded a contract from an enterprise which she heads.
John said four months ago she wrote to the Integrity Commission and declared her interest and also informed the Commission that she has a daughter who is an attorney.
“My daughter has never had a contract with UDeCOTT and will never have one. I wrote to the Commission advising them this is my daughter because of the work that she does, there has been no conflict of interest whatsoever,” said John.
“These are the steps I have taken in the interest of transparency,” she said.
“There are persons from UDeCOTT who are extremely uncomfortable because it is not business as usual,” said John.
She alleged that there was a conspiracy between some members of UDeCOTT and a man whom she named to tarnish her reputation.
The Express understands that John made a complaint to the police against the man for harassment which is being investigated.
She said yesterday that to date, she has not received a letter or phone call from the Commission informing her that she was being probed.
“How long does it take to write a letter to me or to UDeCOTT or to make a phone call to say I am being investigated? I have to learn from the press that I under investigation? Is this the manner by which the Integrity Commission operates?” asked John.
She said her attorney will be writing to the Integrity Commission to query why was she not informed and exactly what she is being investigated for.
This week, the man who made the complaint against John wrote to Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal questioning practices at UDeCOTT.
The letter was posted on a blog.
In his letter, the man indicated that he went to UDeCOTT’s offices to pay for and pick up prequalification questionnaires for offering services to that organisation on its projects.
He stated he was refused permission to peruse the questionnaires before purchasing them and queried whether UDeCOTT was in the habit of selling “cat in bag”.
Moonilal responded to the blog stating that these claims were false.
“The police have searched this man house, he is the subject of a criminal investigation involving harassment, threats and fraud. He was a rejected job applicant by UDeCOTT, this is tabanca,” stated Moonilal.
“UDeCOTT finished the new Parliament in record time, within budget and went for the first time in ten years for opening public tendering and used not one but three contractors. Of which your Minister knows none, I have no “sarobhai” (brother-in-law) as contractor,” he added.
