Warner queries minister’s finances

PORT-OF-SPAIN – United National Congress (UNC) chairman Jack Warner Wednesday night continued to raise integrity-related questions regarding People’s National Movement  St Joseph candidate Kennedy Swaratsingh.Speaking at a meeting in Palmiste, Warner alleged that the minister left the army as  a captain to work for the Government Human Resources Company for TT$25 000 (BDS$8 330)  a month. He said he was then living in a house in Santa Cruz which cost TT$1.5 million  (BDS$500 000).“He had one vehicle –  a Hyundai Tucson –  which cost TT$200 000 (BDS$66 500),”  Warner said.He said by mid-November, Swaratsingh became a Member of Parliament and a minister.“By March 2008, four months later, he moved from his $1.5 million  to a $7.5 million  (BDS$2.5 million) house  in Moka. In four months!” Warner said.“In two-and-a-half years, Swaratsingh, his motor vehicle stock moved from the one Hyundai to a Volkswagen Touareg, Toyota Prado  and a BMW X5.“Now I would say  he did damn well as  a Cabinet minister,” the Chaguanas MP observed.“And in the house he is living in, his mother is listed as the principal in  a company of two, the next person is his secretary. Now the name of the company that bought the house is 39 Orchard Ltd and he living in 39 Orchard, Moka, Maraval,” Warner stated.The UNC chairman said Swaratsingh paid stamp duty of TT$291 250 (BDS$97 000) on the Moka home and in two days that was cancelled and he got back his money.Warner also asked Swaratsingh to state how much money had been put into, collected and disbursed by the St Joseph Foundation, an NGO created by Swaratsingh.“If by Saturday he doesn’t answer, I will make it public,”  Warner said.He also asked Swaratsingh about  a black credit card,  saying that the  “paper trail was there”. (Trinidad Express.)