Moonilal: PM, AG knew of minister in business ties with UK suspect

Your Vote, Your Future

OROPOUCHE East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal accused Prime Minister Stuart Young and Attorney General Camille Robinson-Regis of having knowledge of a senior government official who had alleged business links to a person with criminal ties in the UK.

As he spoke at the launch of the UNC's general election campaign at Naparima College on March 24, Moonilal claimed this was why the UK recently imposed visa restrictions on TT nationals who want to travel to the United Kingdom.

Moonilal also asked if this PNM politician and government official had made any such declaration of having a business interest overseas, to the Integrity Commission, as required by the law. During his speech, Moonilal called the name of a government minister.

On March 18, Young advised President Christine Kangaloo to dissolve the Parliament and announced the general election will be held on April 28.

Moonilal said this was Young's only achievement as prime minister. He claimed Young knew the government official had links to a person with alleged criminal ties.

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He said this spoke to a "treasonable level of judgment" by the prime minister. Moonilal also claimed AG Robinson-Regis, as then housing minister, also had knowledge of this matter.

LEONCE: I DID NO WRONG

Housing Minister Adrian Leonce, in a press statement on Monday, said he wanted to respond to a recent report on social media posted by an Opposition politician, inferring his involvement in illegal activity. Leonce said this was completely without foundation and that he had contacted his attorneys to address the matter.

"For the record, I categorically deny any involvement whatsoever in any illegal activity, either directly or indirectly," Leonce said.

In the statement, Leonce said after deciding not to return to electoral politics in the general election, he also decided to revive a business interest in the UK, which he was working on forming, prior to entering politics in 2015.

He said a friend put him in touch with a person in the UK who assisted in forming the company and having it registered in September 2023.

At that time, Leonce was Minister in the Ministry of Housing which was then headed by Robinson-Regis.

Leonce said in his statement that in July 2024, he was informed that the man with whom he was listed jointly as a director of his (Leonce) UK company, was the subject of an investigation, "unbeknownst to me."

Leonce said he immediately contacted the man and told him to terminate the company, "and that I will be severing all connections with him.

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"The company was terminated on July 17, 2024. I have no affiliation with the individual other than this and know nothing of his business dealings or other activities."

In a statement on March 12, the British High Commission said, "The decision to introduce a visa requirement has been taken due to a significant increase in the number of TT nationals coming to the UK as visitors only to claim asylum on arrival, constituting a misuse of the immigration system."

Information provided by the commission suggested some of those seeking asylum could be people with criminal records and their families.

The commission said, "The changes, which come into effect immediately, will apply to all TT nationals travelling to the UK." A requirement for transit visas was introduced from midnight on March 13.