President rejects request

President of Trinidad and Tobago, George Maxwell Richards has rejected a request by the Chairman of the Urban Development Corporation, to remove a member of a Commission of Inquiry.



The Commission had been set up to probe the Corporation and the construction industry in the twin island republic.



Lawyers for the Corporation’s chairman, Calder Hart, had written to the President earlier this month requesting the removal of Senior Counsel Israel Khan on a number of grounds, including allegations of bias.



But Khan had repeatedly said that he would not step down until the President made a determination.



Sittings of the inquiry have been suspended and are expected to resume on March 23.