At least that the impression the leader of the Muvman Liberater gave. “If there is an inquiry, we will know the circumstances leading to the allocation of that contract,” Ivan Collendavelloo stated in his intervention. The former Deputy Prime Minister added that government will pay Betamax. But for him, there is a need to understand why an ironclad contract was drafted in favor of Betamax. We should recall that earlier, during the Private Notice Question, the leader of Opposition Xavier-Luc Duval insisted on the setting up of a commission of inquiry on the matter. Ivan Collendavelloo, now simple member of Parliament, seems in favor.
Xavier-Luc Duval explained the need of a commission of inquiry chaired by a sitting judge into the circumstances surrounding the termination of Betamax’s contract. This will help to shed light on this whole matter and determine who is to blame in this matter. Minister Soodesh Callichurn replied that the responsibility for setting up a commission of inquiry is not his. And if the need arises, he will inform the ministerial cabinet. It should also be noted that the other members of the Labour opposition did not jump on this proposal for a commission of inquiry. During a press briefing after the PNQ, PTR parliamentarians say they are against a commission of inquiry into the Betamax affair. For them, a commission of inquiry is a waste of time and money. Roshi Bhadain is agreeable to Xavier Duval’s idea, because he has said: “We need a commission of inquiry to situate each one responsibility”.
It is to be noted that this statement of Ivan Collendavelloo was made during the debates on Budget 2021 – 2022. The later also acknowledged that the public-sector debt is high but insisted that, due to Covid-19, it is a global trend.
