Minister for Transport Parveen Bala has today stressed that the Attorney General and Minister for Anti-Corruption, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is not interfering in the affairs of the Ministry of Transport.
Bala’s comments come as Opposition Member of Parliament Aseri Radrodro had questioned whether the Attorney General is interfering in the affairs of the Ministry.
Radrodro had stated that the Transport Minister should be allowed to conduct his work.
Bala has strongly refuted the claims made by the Opposition.
Bala has also stated that the government is making a number of changes to improve the service delivery at LTA.
When questioned about Sayed-Khaiyum’s letter to him and the LTA Board about a number of issues concerning LTA, Bala stated that he was briefed by the LTA Board yesterday.
Bala says he has asked the LTA Board to look into these issues and report back to him.
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum wrote to Vijay Maharaj and Parveen Bala, in his capacity as the Minister responsible for Justice and Anti-Corruption to ensure that immediate action is taken regarding immediate family members of LTA employees and board members holding PSV permits and licences.
Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted that a number of the PSV licenses and permits were acquired by these employees and board members while holding office.
He also says that in a number of cases, the PSV permits and licenses were acquired in the name of immediate family members, namely spouse and children, for the benefit of these employees and board members.
He says such permits and licences should not have been issued in the first place to such persons.
Sayed-Khaiyum says all employees and board members of LTA must be immediately informed that, for as long as they hold office with LTA, they and their immediate family members are prohibited from being holders of PSV permits and licences, and they should be given the option of either surrendering the PSV permits and licences or resigning from LTA.
The Minister for Anti-Corruption says to allow all parties to make decisions and organise their affairs, this should be done within a short time period, but within a recommended 3 months.
