Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner has written to President George Maxwell Richards asking him to exercise his powers under the Commission of Enquiry Act to ensure that the ’life and usefulness’ of the Uff Commission of Enquiry into UDeCOTT and the construction sector is saved.

Warner’s letter to Richards will be the second letter he has received in the last 24 hours arising out of matters concerning state company UDeCOTT and the Commission of Enquiry.

Businessman Emile Elias wrote to Richards asking him to fire Independent Senator Michael Annisette for statements made during the debate on the Validation and Immunity Bill in the Senate on Thursday.

In his letter to Richards, dated yesterday’s date, Warner said that by virtue of the Commission of Enquiries Act the President is empowered to appoint a Commission of Enquiry and to do such things to ensure that such commissions are outfitted to carry out its mandate.

Stressing that serious allegations have been made regarding the conduct and dealings of persons connected to UDeCOTT, Warner said: ’It is in the public interest, in the interest of justice and for the maintenance of law, order and good governance, every possible avenue for achieving the objective of closure must be explored.’

’Should you agree, it is necessary that affirmative action be taken at the earliest to allay the fears and anxieties of the public and the commission itself which must be reassured that its legal status would not be interrupted by the lapse of time,’ Warner said.

Claiming that the life of the Commission expires later this month, Warner said it means that when the substantive matter involving UDeCOTT’s claim of bias against the Commission is heard next February, the commission’s tenure would have expired and it would therefore be deprived of the opportunity to receive and consider all the available evidence relative to the matter.