Works Minister Jack Warner revealed yesterday the People's National Movement (PNM) government paid $21 million to international firm Parsons Brinckerhoff for a transport study and no study was done.

"Aaahha? Aaahha? None was done," he told the House of Representatives as he contributed to the debate on a motion to consider legislative proposals to provide for procurement and disposal of public property.

"In the first place, how was the contract awarded? On what basis...? Did any other company get a chance to bid for this study? We paid $21 million for a non-study," he said.

"You all ran this country worse than a parlour," he thundered.

Stating Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar would not condone corruption in her Government, Warner warned: "Anyone on this side caught stealing from the public purse will face the full brunt of the law. Whether yuh white or black, Canadian or Trinidadian, you would pay. We shall not look the other way. And that is why this motion is here. That is what our Prime Minister stands for. And that is what we stand for."

Warner trained his guns on former prime minister Patrick Manning.

"What of the former prime minister, (who is) sleeping there? He is the one who, for over eight years, led the philosophy that a government without procurement could fool the people and for eight years, he did that. Today, we are serving the people—with this motion... The Member of San Fernando East did not speak in the budget debate. He sits and lets his eyes roam all over, hoping that we, the country, would forget his heartless/Hartless reign of terror on this country."

Stating the issue of a procurement policy had been in the public domain since September 26, 2005, Warner asked: "Why didn't we have any bill for five years? There were calls from us (the then opposition), from the construction sector, Mikey Joseph, and those guys were begging for it, Emile Elias begging for it, Transparency International begging for it.

"For five years. Nothing at all. Look at them (on the PNM bench), shameless! And it takes a Government of four months to come here with procurement legislation. And you coming to tell us about procurement?"

He added, "They knew about all the deficiencies in the system and what did they do? Nothing! In the debate on the budget 2005-6, the former prime minister promised to introduce procurement measures in that fiscal year. In 2006-7, the same prime minister, San Fernando East, promised again. What did he do? Nothing!

"In June 2007, in a public address, the then prime minister, Patrick Manning, said that the procurement regime cannot be implemented in its present form. But if it can't be done in its present form, give us any form. But 2007, 2008, 2009, and part of 2010, nothing! And you coming here to tell us about procurement?"

"In 140 days, this Government is doing what you haven't done in ten years," Warner quipped.

He said the Uff Commission said the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT) made and broke its own rules.

"What did Manning do after (Calder) Hart broke all the rules? He defended Hart "once, not twice, but 45 times," Warner said, pointing to a newspaper photo of Manning, Hart and President George Maxwell Richards toasting with champagne.

"Look it here; if yuh open yuh eye, yuh would see it," he said.

"In case yuh wake up, look it here," Warner said to laughter from the Government benches.

Warner said Imbert called a boat after his wife, MV Su, which he said was a shortened form of "Suzette".

"If yuh want to give yuh wife a gift, get her a gift. But not with taxpayers' money," he said.

He said Rowley's statement the People's Partnership Government should not talk about corruption because one day, it would be corrupt, too, was downright foolishness.

"He has to deal in a subtle way with the poster boy of the PNM, sitting on the side; a man who now has taken a vow of silence...who wouldn't talk on nothing, but who has the country where it is today. And we mustn't talk about corruption?"

Warner told Rowley he would never act as prime minister.

"In all your years, you never acted as prime minister. In all your years. She (Vernella Alleyne-Toppin) just come and acting as prime minister. In all your years, there was never an acting prime minister from Tobago; from Monday, there would be. In all your years, you never had blue lights. Lenny Saith, Joan Yuille-Williams (acted during the PNM years). Who voted for them?" Warner asked.

Warner said it was good to hear Rowley admit there was rampant corruption in the PNM government, of which he was a part and in whose name he campaigned. He said Rowley had embraced all the arguments about corruption presented by the People's Partnership, for which he has offered no denial.

Noting Rowley said the PNM must take some responsibility for the corrupt state of affairs, Warner said the PNM must take all the blame for the corruption of the past ten years. He said Rowley has to walk a fine line because he has to convince people the corrupt elements in the PNM are gone.

"He has to prove himself to be the new 'dodo darling' of the PNM but not too much, so as to increase the credibility of the former leader... He said after the election, there would be time for court martial. He wanted to pose as the new Popeye on the block, the new sailor to steer the ship. The ship has been there four months now, dwindling and sinking. And I ask when would the court-martial process start, Warner said.

Warner said the time had come to "cure procurement".

"And our track record speaks for itself," he added.