The lawyer representing former public administration minister, Marlene McDonald, says her client is not likely to attend a court hearing on Monday where she is expected to answer charges of conspiracy to defraud the government, along with four other people.
Senior Counsel Pamela Elder confirmed that McDonald, who has been in police custody since last Thursday, had been taken to the privately-owned St. Clair Medical Centre in the capital after complaining of feeling unwell.
“The reason given by the police officers was that they had not been able to process the other accused and therefore although she had been charged she was forced to remain in police custody.
‘And when one considers show long she has been in custody it is not surprising that she has ended up here this morning,” Elder told reporters.
“I will do whatever is necessary because what has happened here should never have happened. From the inception of her arrest she was told that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that she had committed certain offences.
“So if the police have reasonable grounds to suspect then why wait so long to charge,” the Senior Counsel told reporters, adding “and if after charging why not ensure that the person is released and attend court this morning”.
She said McDonald has been warded and may not appear in court on Monday as had been scheduled due to her condition. McDonald is reported to be diabetic.
“You should know that her medical condition is a private matter and you should respect her right to privacy. She is at present warded under the supervision of her doctors,” Elder said.
A police statement earlier on Monday said that apart from McDonald, the others facing the charges are her husband, Michael Carew, Victor McEachrane, Wayne Anthony and Edgar Zephrine.
“They are all being charged with several offences to defraud the government, and offences of money laundering. However, McDonald will face offences of misbehaviour in public office,” the police statement said.
Meanwhile, the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) said it has “taken careful note of the unfolding events surrounding” McDonald, adding “while undoubtedly saddened by this turn of events, the People’s National Movement is thankful for the yeoman service Ms. McDonald has provided, both as a Deputy Political Leader with responsibility for Legislative Matters and as the Port of Spain South MP for the past 12 years..
“That notwithstanding, the People’s National Movement has long stood on the side of the law, and particularly under the stewardship of Dr. (Keith) Rowley, has been vehement in its denunciation of corruption and wrong doing, irrespective of the perpetrator’s creed, colour, social status, gender or political affiliation.
“In this regard, and mindful that the matter is now before the courts, the party wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the independence of the major stakeholders in this ongoing situation, namely the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Judiciary. It is in the strengthening of that independence, and the timely execution of their functions, that confidence will be reposed once again in our institutions, and the new society of which our Political Leader speaks will be created.”
It said that it also wanted to acknowledge that these matters for which McDonald and others have been charged, “allegedly occurred many years before Prime Minister Rowley first appointed MP McDonald to the Cabinet in 2015, and for which MP McDonald had twice been exonerated by the Integrity Commission”.
This is the third time since the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) came to power in 2015 that McDonald, a deputy leader of the party, has been sacked from the Cabinet.
She was sacked as Minister of Housing and Urban Development on 17 March 2016 while being the subject of an Integrity Commission investigation into her role in State payments to the Calabash Foundation, which is headed by Carew.
On July 2, 2017 McDonald was fired again after she turned up for her swearing-in ceremony as Minister of Public Utilities, just two days earlier, with alleged gangster Cedric Burke.
McDonald was first elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Port-of-Spain South on 5 November 2007, at which time she was appointed Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs.
The charges against McDonald arose from the payments made to the Calabash Foundation.
