Eric’s
supporters in court
Trinidad
& Tobago Newsday
Port Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
09 16 07
ERIC
WILLIAMS might not be going up for re-election,
but that did not matter to his constituents yesterday
as they turned up in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistrates’ Court
to support their outgoing Member of Parliament.
The Port-of-Spain South MP will not be contesting
his seat in the next General Elections because
he has a pending court matter.
But today, lawyers are expected to decide in court
on a date for his case to go to trial.
Several
of Williams’ constituents told Newsday
they were disappointed he was not going up for
re-election.
“It’s unjust,” said
Anne Lewis of Mac Shine Lands, Laventille, as
she stood outside
the court.
“I feel bad,” added Cleopatra Joseph
of East Dry River, John John. Both gave Williams
an “A-plus” rating in terms of his
performance.
The Fourth Court was packed yesterday morning
as Williams appeared before Senior Magistrate Lucina
Cardenas-Ragoonanan on bribery charges.
Williams’ matter
has been delayed for various reasons since he
first appeared in court on January
9 last year.
More than a year and eight months have elapsed
since Williams first appeared before Magistrate
Lianne Lee Kim on charges of accepting seven bribes,
totalling $75,000 from PNM Mayaro/Rio Claro councillor
Dansam Dhansook.
It is alleged that Williams and former Cabinet
colleague Franklin Khan accepted bribes from Dhansook
in relation to seismic survey contracts for an
onshore oil project on the Nariva Ramsar site by
Talisman (Trinidad) Petroleum Limited.
The bribes, allegedly given by Dhansook between
January 1, 2003 and July 31, 2003, were allegedly
rewards for the securing of a contract for Dhansook
to supply labour, security and transport to a seismic
survey company.
Williams was the then Minister of Energy and subsequently
quit his ministerial post.
Trinidad
& Tobago Newsday
Thursday, September 13 2007
Copyright
©2007 Trinidad
& Tobago Newsday . All Rights Reserved.
