Ban on alcohol urged at T&T Govt functions

(Trinidad Express) Former minister in the Ministry of National Security, Subhas Panday, is calling on the Government to ban alcoholic beverages at Government functions and to rescind the decision which allows Ministers to drive State vehicles.

Panday also said, given what was taking place, the issue of putting TT$10 million in the hands of elected MPs was not a good idea. “If they are irresponsible in a small thing like the use of a vehicle, what would be the situation with TT$10 million? I am calling upon the Minister of Finance to rethink that position,” Panday said.

“If they are abusing the use of a government motor car, what would they do with TT$10 million? They could say all they want about having mechanisms and structures in place (to control the constituency fund), I am saying they could always find a loophole for abuse of those funds and that is your and my money. They must review that situation now!” Panday added.

Panday said yesterday Government must take a high moral ground on the issue of drinking. And he suggested: “No alcoholic beverages should be served at any function which is being paid for by taxpayers. There are too many roads and bridges to fix, too many beds to purchase for the hospital, too many other needs to address.

“Sometimes you go to a (government) function and you have to ask yourself if the cost of the function is more than the project that it is being held to mark. You go to open a bridge and you seeing rum flowing like water…Even the Parliament, which is passing laws to tell you don’t drink and drive, you attend the opening of the Parliament, and there is an unlimited bar. And nobody is there to tell those high sawatees ‘you had three drinks and you come back for more already?'”

He said he planned to lobby Fixin T&T and Arrive Alive on the issue.

Panday said Government must lead by example. “The Collin Partap issue would die in ten days time, but we need to advance the society and save the next generation,” he said.

On the firing of Partap, Panday said it was the result of an act of indiscretion on the part of the Minister. But, Panday noted that Partap was not the only one who had engaged in the habit of driving a state vehicle for an entirely private use.

Panday said he was calling on the Government to rescind the decision which allowed Ministers the privilege to drive state vehicles, take it home, keep it for the weekend and use it for private purposes.

He said Ministers get a car loan at low interest, are given a transport allowance of $5,000 a month to upkeep a vehicle, as well as a personal driver under the conditions prescribed by the Salary Review Commission. Furthermore every ministry had designated drivers for the government vehicles.

“So it is madness to allow a minister to be driving a car paid for by the taxpayer,” he said, adding, “That is why Ministers are going out and buying high-end luxury vehicles for their ministries which is inappropriate.”

“Why don’t they use the persons who are specialised in driving….Government vehicles should not be used for “joyrides”,” he said.

Panday said PCM 1016, which Partap was driving when he was detained by the police, was a vehicle assigned to the Ministry of National Security.

Panday recalled that he and former minister John Sandy would use it whenever they had to attend ministry functions. “And the ministry driver would take us and drop us back in the ministry (afterwards) and we would go home with our (personal) vehicles,” he said.

“If you want to use the vehicle and it is late, let the Government driver drop you home and take back the vehicle to the ministry. And let the accounting officer (permanent secretary) in the various ministries be in control of Government property,” he said.

Panday said if Government did not rescind the Cabinet decision (taken in March 2011) to allow ministers to drive government vehicles, he expected to see more ministers before the courts or in similar circumstances as Partap.

The March 2011 decision reversed a longstanding policy which prevented Ministers and employees of a ministry from driving government vehicles.