'SORT THIS OUT': Former Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board of Control member Ricardo Phillip displays the letter he received from the Integrity Commission on March 14 during yesterday's media conference at De Nu Pub on French Street, Woodbrook. At right is boxing promoter Tansley Thompson. —Photo: Curtis Chase

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Set the record straight

Ex-Boxing Board member to Integrity Commission:

By Ian Prescott

Former Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board of Control (TTBBC) member Ricardo Phillip wants the Integrity Commission to "set the record straight" on the complaint he filed with them last year.

His demand comes a day after the Commission declared it was not investigating Minister of Sports Anil Roberts but had sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

At a press conference held yesterday at the De Nu Pub, formerly Mas Camp Pub, Woodbrook, Phillip addressed the original complaint he filed in relation to Minister of Sport Anil Roberts, permanent secretary in the Ministry, Ashwin Creed and TTBBC special adviser Buxo Potts in December.

He said: "I want to take the opportunity to ask the Integrity Commission to set the record straight on my original complaint. The Integrity Commission is the one to sort this out. I made no misrepresentation. The best people to clear this up is the Integrity Commission itself."

On Thursday, Roberts declared his intention to take legal action against three media houses and other persons, including Phillip, over published reports that a file involving him had been passed to the DPP. The Minister said he had received a letter from the Integrity Commission confirming that he was not under investigation.

But yesterday, Phillip also referred to the letter he had received from the Commission.

Dated March 14, 2013 and headed "Investigation by the Integrity Commission into the complaint against the TTBBC," it stated: "The Integrity Commission has completed its investigations into the caption. In keeping with the requirement of Section 31(1) of the Integrity in Public Affair Act, Chapter 22:01, the Commission has referred this matter to the Director of Prosecutions. "

Commenting on it, Phillip said, "when I got the letter, I took it to mean that the investigation into my original complaint was passed on to the DPP. My complaint was against Anil Roberts, Buxo Potts and Ashwin Creed. At no point did I ask the Integrity Commission to investigate the Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board of Control. I know nothing about any complaint on the Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board or any member of the Boxing Board."

Yesterday, Phillip met for an hour and a half with several members of the Integrity Commission, including registrar Martin Farrell, who had sent the letters to both Phillip and Roberts.

Phillip said during the 15 months that his matter was being investigated, he had fully complied with the Commission, including travelling from Tobago to be interviewed and give evidence. Even then, he said he was left seeking answers after being told that many aspects of the investigation were subject to secrecy.

Phillip said next week he is going to refile his original complaint with the Integrity Commission against the three persons.

Also present at yesterday's media briefing was Integrity Commission officer Mervyn Crichlow who spoke briefly on the matter. He said not much more could be revealed on the matter since the Commission was subject to certain secrecy laws, which if broken, left officers subject to a $250,000 fine and possibly also a five-year prison term.

Crichlow said that in dealing with Phillip's complaint, the Commission had to establish that it was not a frivolous matter, otherwise they would have informed Phillip of such within 15 days. Crichlow also said a case had not been pursued against either Roberts, Creed or Potts. However, Crichlow said, the Integrity Commission, felt a case appeared to have been made for an investigation into the operations of the Boxing Board itself.

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