Trinidad: UNC calls for resignations of Massy CEO, chairman
(Trinidad Guardian) Amid claims of foreign exchange wastage, the United National Congress (UNC) is calling for the resignations of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and chairman of the Massy Group.
While much has been said in the public domain of the revelations of now-suspended executive Angélique ParisotPotter who claimed the company was spending significant foreign exchange on “bizarre rituals” during leadership training, UNC Senator Wade Mark believes people are focusing on the wrong thing.
“The issue is not about obeah and Delphi, the issue is about the abuse and misuse of our scarce foreign exchange, which belongs to every citizen of our republic. And the Prime Minister instead of addressing this issue he dismisses it in a very flippant manner,” Mark underscored.
Mark claimed that citizens should have a vested interest in what the country’s limited foreign exchange is spent on as ultimately, they are shareholders in the Massy Group.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to remind you that at Massy there are some three State owned companies that have interests, that have shares in Massy,” Mark said. Attempting to make that connection he added, “The National Insurance Board, owns 20 and more per cent shareholding in Massy Holdings Limited, the Unit Trust Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago has large shareholdings in Massy, and you know Republic Bank? Let me remind the people that Republic Bank has almost more than 50 per cent shareholding in that company called Massy.”
The Opposition Senator said it is not fair that Parisot-Potter, who he claimed did her job as Vice President of Business Integrity, is being disciplined for highlighting her concerns with the forex haemorrhage while CEO Gervase Warner and Chairman Robert Riley remain untouched.
“These two individuals, instead of defending shareholders, they have taken unilateral action to send the whistleblower, the person who has come out in defence of the people of this country by exposing the abuse and misuse of foreign exchange, they have sent that individual on administrative leave. But the individual that brought Delphi (Sphere) Consulting to Massy’s compound, paying tens of thousands if not millions of US dollars is still sitting as the President and CEO of Massy Holdings Limited, ladies and gentlemen that is not fair,” Mark argued.
Given that Parisot-Potter claimed that the training involved communicating with the dead and self-healing using what she called “white light energy”, Mark said this has also brought shame to the company.
“We know about necromancy; you know what the people are now saying? They are now calling it necro-massy!” Mark shouted, “we cannot support this situation that is taking place.”
Mark said this reminds him of former Central Bank Governor Jwala Rambarran’s dismissal which took place after he revealed the top users of forex in the country.
Aiming the Prime Minister, Mark said he was disappointed with Dr Keith Rowley’s response to the issue which was published in Friday’s Guardian Newspaper.
“He says in one breath that we must carefully prioritise our foreign exchange but at the same time he dismisses that issue of the misuse of foreign exchange,” Mark lamented.
In an interview with the Guardian Newspaper, Rowley said that long ago it was expected that rulers would consult the Oracle of Delphi to be advised on future outcomes.
“The Prime Minister is making fun out of a very serious issue,” Mark said.
Parisot-Potter has been sent on paid administrative leave pending an investigation by the company into her claims and conduct. On Thursday she advised her friends and followers on Facebook that she is no longer reachable on her Massy assigned email address.