T&T Minister fired over choice of guest at swearing in ceremony
(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday advised President Anthony Carmona to revoke the appointment of Marlene McDonald, Minister of Public Utilities with immediate effect.
McDonald was recently sworn in as Minister in the Ministry of Public Utilities after a sixteen- month period of absence from the Cabinet.
The President has also been advised that the portfolio of Public Utilities should be assigned to the Prime Minister who will now assume these duties in addition to his other responsibilities.
Why was MacDonald fired?
McDonald met with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley yesterday morning as a result of the controversy caused by her choice of guests attending her swearing-in ceremony at the President’s House in St Ann’s on Friday.
The commotion surrounds the presence of reputed “community leader” Cedric “Burkie” Burke, who accompanied contractor Kenroy Dopwell to the event.
Senior elements of the national security community on Saturday expressed great alarm at the presence of Burke, who has been engaging their attention.
Not only was he present, but Burke was introduced by her to the President and posed for pictures with the Head of State, President Anthony Carmona.
The consternation of senior intelligence personnel was aggravated by the photo of a smiling Burke standing right next to His Excellency, sources said.
Burke was unknown to the President, as he was to the Prime Minister, who as is customary attended the swearing-in ceremony.
McDonald introduced Burke to His Excellency as a member of her constituency, sources said.
McDonald: Burke was not invited
Before her firing yesterday, McDonald told some political associates the Prime Minister requested her resignation.
However, McDonald insisted she never invited Burke to the event and it was the security at the President’s House who allowed him in. She has acknowledged inviting Dopwell. Sources at the President’s House on Saturday indicated McDonald was originally asked to provide the names of three guests, and she requested a fourth (Dopwell).
They confirmed Burke was not among the four names and when he turned up, he was told this and was denied admission to the conference room where the swearing-in ceremony was due to take place.
However, the sources said when McDonald arrived, she came upstairs accompanied by Burke, along with her other guests. It was in these circumstances he secured entry, sources at the President’s House explained.
Sources also said all the people in McDonald’s group (including Burke) had arrived at the President’s House in the same vehicle.
“If (Burke) was not invited by her, then why did she introduce him to and have him photographed with the President?” the source at the President’s office asked.
She was warned
Sources said the view of the Cabinet is the Government would lack the moral authority to be taken seriously in its commitment to fight crime if its senior members are thought to be having any association with people who may be on the national security radar.
Sources said on Saturday that McDonald had been previously warned by her colleagues about some of these associations.