Global Organisation for Parliamentarians Against Corruption exonerates fired Minister

Port-of-Spain: The Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption has cleared former Planning and Economy Minister Mary King of any wrongdoing and the group says King will remain an advocate against corruption in T&T.

King was dismissed by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in May 2011 in the midst of allegations over the award of a contract to Ixanos Marketing Limited of which she was a shareholder.

The contract was for the design and hosting of a website for the ministry in the amount of approximately $100,000.

CEO of GOPAC John Williams of Canada says having conducted an investigation in Trinidad, he determined that King was not part of the tendering process but had initiated methods to improve the tendering process, and was observing the new process in action close up.

The investigation also pointed fingers at the ministry's permanent secretary who it said had an obligation to advise the minister that there was a government policy in place regarding the handbook of guidelines for consultancy services.

It found there had been no allegations of corruption against King, only allegations of conflict of interest.

It has however raised questions about allegations levelled against two members of the Cabinet whom it says remain in office despite worse allegations levelled against them.