Hart and UDeCOTT

[Peong]

deleting evidence on a computer don't mean that it gone forever.. unless of course the perpetrators were diligent enough to format each hard drive/server drive 7 times over or burn the evidence altogether.

allyuh need to cool it.. because time pass for due process doesn't mean that evidence can't be uncovered if the right tools are used.

there's technology that goes in layer after layer and recoups most (if not all data), even after formatting. Takes time and you must have the tools.. but if they really want to find info they will.

In the same way it can be found, it can also be completely erased.
There are programs that replace the data that was there, without formatting.
You cannot recover data after you run programs like this.
Look up "Secure Erase."

[dinho]

deleting evidence on a computer don't mean that it gone forever.. unless of course the perpetrators were diligent enough to format each hard drive/server drive 7 times over or burn the evidence altogether.

allyuh need to cool it.. because time pass for due process doesn't mean that evidence can't be uncovered if the right tools are used.

there's technology that goes in layer after layer and recoups most (if not all data), even after formatting. Takes time and you must have the tools.. but if they really want to find info they will.

In the same way it can be found, it can also be completely erased.
There are programs that replace the data that was there, without formatting.
You cannot recover data after you run programs like this.
Look up "Secure Erase."

yeah but the point is... who going thru all dat?

most people think a simple delete is all it takes. even with email, it does always shock me how people at the most senior levels would run personal correspondence thru work email and think they safe by deleting it.

someone have to be blatantly fraudelent and corrupt to undertake a project to wipe clean.. and to be able to do that, more likely than not you need to have plenty other parties like the IT and accounting departments complicit in the job.. not exactly easy to do unless everybody on board with the corruption from go.

[lefty]

deleting evidence on a computer don't mean that it gone forever.. unless of course the perpetrators were diligent enough to format each hard drive/server drive 7 times over or burn the evidence altogether.

allyuh need to cool it.. because time pass for due process doesn't mean that evidence can't be uncovered if the right tools are used.

there's technology that goes in layer after layer and recoups most (if not all data), even after formatting. Takes time and you must have the tools.. but if they really want to find info they will.

In the same way it can be found, it can also be completely erased.
There are programs that replace the data that was there, without formatting.
You cannot recover data after you run programs like this.
Look up "Secure Erase."

yeah but the point is... who going thru all dat?

most people think a simple delete is all it takes. even with email, it does always shock me how people at the most senior levels would run personal correspondence thru work email and think they safe by deleting it.

someone have to be blatantly fraudelent and corrupt to undertake a project to wipe clean.. and to be able to do that, more likely than not you need to have plenty other parties like the IT and accounting departments complicit in the job.. not exactly easy to do unless everybody on board with the corruption from go.

now suppose it have ah udecott exec on dis board alyuh tell all he need to know aready ..........jus need ah police officer to bribe

[Jumbie]

Peong I'd be careful by giving much faith in those programs (I eh doubting fully, cause I eh know much about that one). Though I can't comment on this further, I've seen with my own eyes what competent law enforcement have available to them when it comes to data recovery.

And as dinho pointed out..email leaves a bitch of a trail as well.

Does anyone here expect anything concrete or incriminating revealed from this?

[truetrini]

Peong I'd be careful by giving much faith in those programs (I eh doubting fully, cause I eh know much about that one). Though I can't comment on this further, I've seen with my own eyes what competent law enforcement have available to them when it comes to data recovery.

And as dinho pointed out..email leaves a bitch of a trail as well.

Does anyone here expect anything concrete or incriminating revealed from this?

Just have to use it to deflect attention from other things, look like yuh making headway in recovering money, making arrests whatever and yuh safe...dais a good plan right dey.

[Brownsugar]

Watch how Patos have we.....just so, just so he hit we the election talk and ALL ah we forget Calder Hart....well so far the police went by he house to execute ah serach warrant, but like the police doh read the news because surprise, surprise Calder wasn't home....

Then the police say they want to talk to Calder but cyar get him.  The AG on the other hand telling we whenever the police ready to talk to Calder they could find him....hhhmmm....
Forgive mih Mr AG if I'm a bit skeptical......

Anywho, Patos nice try but we eh forget yuh favourite imported son....

[sammy]

UFF: PUBLIC PURSE WAS AT RISK
By Andre Bagoo Tuesday, April 6 2010

click on pic to zoom in

« prev photo next photo »
THE UDECOTT board was guilty of a “dereliction of duty” and “knowingly exposed the public purse to a grave risk” by failing to question the award of a $368 million contract to CH Development/Sunway Construction (Caribbean) Limited for the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower, the chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into Udecott, Professor John Uff QC, has found.

In his final Report, which was submitted to President George Maxwell Richards last week and published exclusively on Easter Sunday by the Sunday Newsday, Uff notes that even without consideration of the emergence of family links between former Udecott executive chairman Calder Hart and Sunway, the board’s approval of the award of the contract was unacceptable. In relation to Udecott’s decision to award the contract to CH Development/Sunway, which was said to be a subsidiary of the Malaysian firm Sunway Construction Bhd (SunCon), Uff concludes that no satisfactory answers have been given as to why:

...a letter of award dated April 28, 2005, had been sent to both parent company SunCon and CH Development when it was only CH Development that had tendered;

...the Udecott board failed to demand a parent company guarantee from CH Development after it changed its name to Sunway Construction (Caribbean) Limited, in the face of its own resolution of November 8, 2004 that care must be taken to obtain parent company guarantees;

...the Udecott board ignored its own tender rules to award the contract to CH Development, when such rules would have disqualified the company because the company had no track record and did not have VAT, NIB and PAYE certificates;

“It remains inexplicable that the Udecott board should have so neglected their own resolution on November 2004 and overlooked the clear and obvious requirement for an enforceable parent company guarantee,” Uff notes. “In this regard, the explanations offered by Mr Calder Hart were nothing to the point. Neither he nor the board could have seriously thought that they were...dealing with the Sunway parent company.”

“The inescapable conclusion is that the Udecott board knowingly exposed the public purse to grave risk of non-performance by the Sunway subsidiary with no available recourse,” Uff finds. “The fact that Sunway Construction (Caribbean) Limited ultimately performed in relation to the Government Campus Plaza in a manner comparable to the other principal contractors engaged there goes no way to mitigate the seriousness of the unexplained dereliction of duty.”

“Udecott thus seriously and knowingly breached its own board resolution,” Uff continued. Alluding to the board’s defence that it had made a commercial decision and had taken reasonable steps to get a guarantee (which he deemed inadequate) Uff notes, “Commercial obligations are not satisfied by taking ‘all reasonable steps’ but by being performed. By continuing to contest the incontestable, Udecott does itself no service.”

But further, in focussing his attention on the Sunway contract, Uff notes that Hart, who at the time of the award of contract was Udecott chairman and not executive chairman, appeared to overreach his powers in order to facilitate a bid by CH Development.

Uff notes that CH Development was incorporated in Trinidad and Tobago on October 19, 2004, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Malaysian parent company Sunway Construction Bhd (SunCon). Yet, a mere six days later, the company wrote to Udecott, seeking to be pre-qualified to bid on the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower project in downtown Port-of-Spain.

The project manager, Turner Construction International LLC did not recommend that CH Development be pre-qualified. It recommended that the Mayalsian parent company, a separate legal entity, be pre-qualified on the basis of its reported track record.

On November 8, 2004, the Udecott board pre-qualified the Malaysian parent company Suncon and issued a special directive that where foreign firms incorporate subsidiary companies within Trinidad and Tobago, “care must be taken to ensure that the parent company is contractually responsible for the performance of all duties...of the subsidiary company.”

On January 31, 2005, CH Development, and not the parent company that had been pre-qualified, submitted a tender to Udecott. A tender evaluation report prepared by Derek Outridge of QES and Associates Limited found that all tenderers had “complied substantially with the requirements of the tender instructions” even as three firms, including CH Development, did not have NIS, BIR and VAT certificates.

The two lowest bidders for the project, Hafeez Karamath Limited ($301 million) and Johnston International Limited ($346 million) were ruled out by Outridge. He argued that Karamath’s workload was heavy and that JIL’s workload would be heavy if the firm was to receive the contract for another Udecott project, the Chancery Lane project in San Fernando.

On April 5, 2005, the Udecott board “agreed with the recommendation of the tender evaluation committee that a contract be awarded to CH Development and Construction Ltd (Sunway)” and the next day sought approval for the award from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance.

“This designation of the company was potentially misleading as the board of Udecott had earlier been quite clear about the distinction between a foreign parent and a local subsidiary company,” Uff observes.

On April 28, 2005, a letter was sent by Udecott, addressed to both Sunway Construction Bhd (the Malaysian parent company) and CH Development, stating that, “your tender dated January 31, 2005, has been accepted.” Copies of the letter bore Hart’s personal fax number and his name.

An analysis of a fax trail on the letter showed that it was sent by Udecott to Hart’s personal fax machine at his then residence at 6 De Lima Road Cascade, then sent from Hart’s fax machine to Sunway and then from Sunway back to Udecott. Additionally, correspondence throughout the pre-qualification and tendering process had been directed to Hart, then non-executive chairman. Uff also found that the appearance of Hart’s fax number on CH Development correspondence remains unexplained.

“Mr Calder Hart’s direct involvement with tenderers, in his capacity as chairman, is unusual to say the least,” Uff finds. He notes that Winston Agard, the CEO, deposed that he was unaware of CH Development’s application for pre- qualification.

“The Commissioners consider that the decision to award the contract to CH Development was questionable; but the decision is also to be seen as one of a number of separate events indicative of a determination on the part of the chairman, Mr Calder Hart, that the contract was to be awarded to CH Development,” Uff finds. “That intention must have become apparent to others within Udecott by April 2005, if not much earlier. We have observed elsewhere that Mr Calder Hart exercised a degree of influence over the staff of Udecott beyond what could be regarded as normal.”

Uff further notes that the desire to have the contract go to CH Development could not be justified.

“The tender of CH Development was some $67 million higher than the lowest tender, from HKL, and $22 million higher than that of Johnston International Ltd. These factors, combined with evidence of links between Hart and Sunway which later emerged, led Uff to recommend a police probe of his report.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,118575.html

[sammy]

UFF: NUGFW land deal needs investigating
Tuesday, April 6 2010

THE SALE of former State lands at the Real Spring, Valsayn, housing project by the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) at a profit to Udecott calls for investigation, chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into Udecott, Professor John Uff finds.

In a Report presented to President George Maxwell Richards on March 29, which was published on Easter Sunday, April 4, exclusively by Sunday Newsday, Uff highlights the land transaction which, in his view, calls for explanation. “The Cabinet, during (former housing minister Dr Keith Rowley’s) tenure as minister of housing agreed to sell the land at a greatly reduced price to the NUGFW to facilitate the construction of low-cost housing on behalf of the Union,” Uff notes.

The sale to NUGFW, which took place in February 2004, had a price tag of $2.3 million for nine hectares of land. However, “the union took the decision to re-sell the land to Udecott at a price of approximately $7.5 million.”

“No information has been volunteered as to whether the windfall profit realised by the Union is still held in their account, and if so on what terms,” Uff observes. “The Commissioners were not provided with any rationale for the re-sale of the land. This requires further investigation.”

Senator Michael Annisette, who held shares in the NUGFW holding company that sold the land, is a Udecott director

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,118576.html

[sammy]

Either Khan or Hart committed perjury
Tuesday, April 6 2010

click on pic to zoom in

Carl Khan...
EITHER FORMER Udecott executive chairman Calder Hart or Carl Khan, the ex-husband of Hart’s Malaysian-born wife Sherrine, committed the criminal offence of perjury, chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into Udecott Professor John Uff QC finds in his final Report submitted last week.

In the Report, which was published exclusively on Easter Sunday by the Sunday Newsday and is due to be tabled in the Senate today, Uff notes that conflicting evidence was submitted to him at his inquiry on the issue of whether or not Hart had family links to a Malaysian company awarded a $368 million contract for the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower.

Uff notes that, in a first statement, Hart said, “I take this opportunity to categorically refute and condemn as false and mischievous any allegations that I have any family connections with Sunway or CH Development & Construction Ltd.” In a second statement, Hart further stated: “For my part, I reassert that neither I nor any member of my family has or ever had any shares or interest in Sunway or in any of its subsidiary companies.”

However, Uff notes, Khan came forward, deposing that two men once listed as Sunway directors, Lee Hup Ming and Ng Chin Poh, were related to Mrs Sherrine Hart. “Counsel for Mr Calder Hart did not take the opportunity to cross-examine Mr Khan when this was offered,” Uff observes.

“The testimony of Mr Khan is directly in contrast to the evidence of Mr Calder Hart.”.

“The Commissioners take the view that it is inappropriate for them to decide which evidence is to be preferred because the inquiry is not a court of law. The consequence of such a decision is that one of the two witnesses is likely to have committed the criminal offence of perjury,” Uff finds

Police, including officers of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau, have already begun an investigation into Hart.

Uff rejected arguments made by Hart’s lawyer Devesh Maharaj and Frank Solomon SC that Khan had attempted to bring Mrs Hart’s reputation “into disrepute”.

“There is no evidence whatsoever that Mr Khan was motivated by anything other than a desire to place the true facts before the Commission. If Mr Khan had any motive beyond that of stating what he believed to be the truth, it was not to bring Mr Hart’s wife into disrepute; it is the conduct of Mr Hart that is in issue here,” Uff finds.

[Jah Gol]

...the Udecott board ignored its own tender rules to award the contract to CH Development, when such rules would have disqualified the company because the company had no track record and did not have VAT, NIB and PAYE certificates;

I've heard about 'paper' companies being awarded contracts but a paper company without papers. NAH ! That is racket.

[Brownsugar]

...the Udecott board ignored its own tender rules to award the contract to CH Development, when such rules would have disqualified the company because the company had no track record and did not have VAT, NIB and PAYE certificates;

I've heard about 'paper' companies being awarded contracts but a paper company without papers. NAH ! That is racket.

Boy I followed that Uff Commission fairly closely and I tell you, the Police should have moved on Hart and UDeCOTT a long time ago.....these things were coming out under oath, so why it wasn't done I'll never know....now the police cyar find Hart but the AG says otherwise......steups...bunch of jokers....

[truetrini]

WEntire board of UdeCott fired except for Jerlean John.

[Brownsugar]

WEntire board of UdeCott fired except for Jerlean John.

About time....shameless scumbags!!...

[weary1969]

A day late and a dollar short

[sammy]

remember when all this had started, anisette said that he would've retired if any wrong doing came out of the inquiry, so did he resign or was he fired?

[TriniCana]

WEntire board of UdeCott fired except for Jerlean John.

Ya wish is meh command

Udecott board fired
RICHARD LORD
Published: 7 Apr 2010


The Government is giving itself two weeks to reconstitute the board of directors of State-owned Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott). Well-placed sources made this revelation last night, after the Government sacked the four remaining members of the old Calder Hart-led board. The sources said a full board should be in place, under Chair Jearlean John, within the next fortnight. John was appointed last month after a hasty resignation by the controversial Hart. Attorney General John Jeremie earlier yesterday laid the bulky report of the Uff Commission of Enquiry into the Construction Sector and Udecott in the Senate.

Jeremie told legislators the board would be replaced, with only the recently appointed chairman Jearlean John being retained. Jeremie said Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday issued the directive, following the presentation of the Uff report. The sacked directors are vice-chairman Dr Krishna Bahadoorsingh, Senator Michael Annisette, Wendell Dottin and Anthony Cherry. Cabinet yesterday met in special session, at which the Uff report was discussed at length. “As a result, Mr President, Cabinet will now move to reconstitute the board of directors of Udecott,” Jeremie told the Senate, explaining that John would be kept in the chair.

“The existing members have been thanked for their services...A reconstituted board should be in place in short order,” he said.
The long-awaited report slammed Udecott on several public projects, including the thorny Ministry of Legal Affairs towers in Port-of-Spain.
The Uff team recommended that that matter be turned over to the police for investigation. That matter pertains to the award of a $368 million contract to CH Development, subsequently renamed Sunway Construction.
The Uff Commission also recommended an investigation into certain packages of the contract for construction of the Brian Lara Stadium i Tarouba.
Among other recommendations is that there be an audit into the conduct of all Udecott’s senior staff and directors in the period 2004 to 2009, as to their involvement in errors and omissions concerning the Brian Lara Stadium project. The report listed 91 firm and direct recommendations. Udecott directors have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and had refused to resign, despite several requests from the political opposition and other critics. Government officials also strongly supported the retention of the directors, saying they had done nothing wrong.

[just cool]

...the Udecott board ignored its own tender rules to award the contract to CH Development, when such rules would have disqualified the company because the company had no track record and did not have VAT, NIB and PAYE certificates;

I've heard about 'paper' companies being awarded contracts but a paper company without papers. NAH ! That is racket.

Boy I followed that Uff Commission fairly closely and I tell you, the Police should have moved on Hart and UDeCOTT a long time ago.....these things were coming out under oath, so why it wasn't done I'll never know....now the police cyar find Hart but the AG says otherwise......steups...bunch of jokers....

What police ?? TNT need ah state police force like the FBI and scotland yard tuh deal with that kinda crime, and this agency should under the authority of the president and not the ministry of NS.

[truetrini]

...the Udecott board ignored its own tender rules to award the contract to CH Development, when such rules would have disqualified the company because the company had no track record and did not have VAT, NIB and PAYE certificates;

I've heard about 'paper' companies being awarded contracts but a paper company without papers. NAH ! That is racket.

Boy I followed that Uff Commission fairly closely and I tell you, the Police should have moved on Hart and UDeCOTT a long time ago.....these things were coming out under oath, so why it wasn't done I'll never know....now the police cyar find Hart but the AG says otherwise......steups...bunch of jokers....

What police ?? TNT need ah state police force like the FBI and scotland yard tuh deal with that kinda crime, and this agency should under the authority of the president and not the ministry of NS.

Yuh ever heard about SAUTT?

[Flex]

SCG, ZHANG GOT $2B IN PROJECTS FROM UDECOTT
By Andre Bagoo Sunday, July 4 2010

WHILE his company was at work on billion-dollar Udecott projects, Michael Zhang, managing director of Chinese firm SCG International (Trinidad and Tobago), received a private cut out of the work at the Ministry of Legal Affairs project in Port-of-Spain from Sunway Construction Caribbean Limited, the controversial Malaysian company now under police probe for alleged links to former Udecott chairman Calder Hart.

SCG was hand-picked by Udecott to work on the $244 million Prime Minister’s Residence and Diplomatic Centre as well as the $900 million National Academies for the Performing Arts in north and south Trinidad. The company was also awarded the contract for the $460 million Ministry of Education Tower project on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain. SCG has also been given a $150 million contract for the upgrade of the South Terminal of the Piarco International Airport project and other contracts.

Combined with the $180 million contract for the police stations and the $44 million Chaguanas administrative complex, companies connected with Zhang alone have been tied to an estimated total of $2 billion in Udecott work.

Zhang, who is said to be Chinese, was quietly awarded a private sub-contract on the Legal Affairs project by Sunway through his own company, Times Construction Company Limited, to do work on the $368 million skyscraper project in downtown Port-of-Spain, according to documents.

The disclosure is just one in a series of findings unearthed by a Sunday Newsday investigation into Zhang’s links with Udecott. That investigation has revealed that while SCG and Zhang worked on and bid for Udecott projects, Zhang:

* received work off of the controversial $368 million Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower contract awarded to Sunway, a company with alleged family ties to Hart;

* helmed SCG when the company received a $180 million contract for the construction of five police stations just 12 days shy of the 2010 General Elections and after Udecott staff came under some pressure from the Ministry of National Security to get the contracts out;

* shared some responsibility, through his company Times Construction Company Limited, for failing to give Chinese worker Xia Deyun, safety training which could have prevented Deyun’s worksite death at the site of the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower on January 29, 2008;

* is tied to companies that have received more than $2 billion in Udecott projects.

The findings, gathered over months from confidential State documents, interviews, Freedom of Information Act applications lodged by the Joint Consultative Council (JCC), companies searches and other public documents, come amidst reports of a police investigation into SCG’s Udecott projects and amidst ongoing controversy surrounding the construction, and now looting, of the controversial church at the Heights of Guanapo, a project to which Zhang’s SCG has been tied.

The police last month raided the SCG offices at Keate Street, Port-of-Spain and this month seized SCG documents from Udecott, the powerful state enterprise under probe for its projects.

In relation to the $368 million Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower project, Sunway awarded Zhang’s Times sub-contracting work, according to the findings of a confidential report produced by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority and Agency (OSHA) which was obtained by Sunday Newsday.

The OSHA report, into the work-site death of Chinese worker Xia Deyun on January 29, 2008, revealed that, “Mr Xia Deyun was employed as a multi-skilled worker for Times Construction Company Limited.” The document, dated February 11, 2008, almost two years after Udecott awarded the Ministry of Legal Affairs contract to Sunway, noted, “Times Construction was a subcontracted company of Sunway Construction (Caribbean) Limited. Times Construction has been in operation approximately one year and six months in Trinidad and Tobago.” The OSHA report found that Times had failed to give Deyun adequate safety training prior to his death.

Companies registry checks done by Sunday Newsday revealed that Michael Zhang was the incorporator of Times Construction Company Limited, which was incorporated on November 25, 2004. An annual return dated November 27, 2009, lists Zhang as a director and shareholder of the company, alongside Zhuo Feng Ou. Zhang is listed as a “civil engineer” resident at Benbow Drive, Westmoorings, in the Times documents.

Further checks revealed that during the hearings of the Uff Commission of Inquiry, Times Construction Company Limited was said by the President of the JCC Winston Riley to have been awarded a $44 million contract by Udecott for work on a Chaguanas administrative complex.

The $368 million Ministry of Legal Affairs project was awarded to Sunway, a firm on whose board a brother and brother-in-law of Mrs Sherrine Hart, wife of Calder Hart, allegedly acted as directors.

A Udecott official said on Friday, that the company was unaware of the details of the Sunway contract to Zhang’s company Times Construction Limited. Zhang did not respond to queries about his company, Times, on Friday.

However in an interview with Sunday Newsday almost two years ago in June 2008 at SCG’s Keate Street, Port-of-Spain, offices, Zhang said the issue of his company was a private matter. Asked if he thought a questionable conflict arose between his private company Times and SCG, Zhang said: “Not really, there’s a different management and I don’t think (there is) a law against a person having more than one company.”

Zhang, who says he is originally from Shanghai but has lived at various locations in the Caribbean such as Barbados and Antigua for the last 13 years, added, “This is something that I feel is private…I’ve been here for eight years already. I used to have a company before SCG: Times Construction Company Limited. This is a personal development.”

But in addition to the Udecott work given to his company via Sunway, Zhang’s SCG was the recipient of a Udecott contract for police stations across northern Trinidad in Maracas Bay, St Joseph, Besson Street, Maracas/St Joseph and St Clair in May, days before the General Election.

Documents obtained from the Ministry of National Security now disclose that SCG got a letter of award for the police stations dated March 19, 2010, two weeks after Hart resigned. Mere days before the General Election, and some weeks after the Udecott board resigned, the contracts were formally signed on May 12.

A Udecott official said that it was in Udecott’s interest to stick with the March letters of award, even though they had been signed under a later discredited board. The official revealed that there was some degree of pressure being exerted from the Ministry of National Security to have the contracts go through.

“The client (Ministry of National Security) were asking about this because they had given Udecott money to start the police stations. They wanted the job to be done. We were also advised as to the potential legal danger of not fulfilling the letters of award,” the official said.

[AirMan]

SCG, ZHANG GOT $2B IN PROJECTS FROM UDECOTT
By Andre Bagoo Sunday, July 4 2010

WHILE his company was at work on billion-dollar Udecott projects, Michael Zhang, managing director of Chinese firm SCG International (Trinidad and Tobago), received a private cut out of the work at the Ministry of Legal Affairs project in Port-of-Spain from Sunway Construction Caribbean Limited, the controversial Malaysian company now under police probe for alleged links to former Udecott chairman Calder Hart

What the hell !

[truetrini]

Bank foils US$6M Udecott fraud attempt
By Nalinee Seelal Sunday, September 12 2010

click on pic to zoom inAn attempt by a person or persons at State-owned Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) to defraud the company of US $6 million (approximately TT $38 million) was foiled on Monday September 6 after questions were raised by the First Citizens Bank.

Officers of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB) were called in and the matter is being thoroughly investigated. So far two signatories to the wire transfer who are senior managers at Udecott have claimed that they know nothing about authorising this transaction. Yesterday Attorney General Anand Ramlogan confirmed that he had submitted a request to the ACIB to probe the attempt to defraud Udecott and said, “I have referred the matter to the ACIB and I intend to get to the bottom of this, after this attempted million dollar fraud, and let the chips fall where they may.” In his letter to the ACIB which Sunday Newsday was able to obtain it stated:

“Your urgent attention is requested to investigate an attempted fraud which occurred between Thursday 2nd September 2010 and Monday 6th September 2010 concerning a wire transfer of funds from a Udecott account at First Citizens Bank, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain.

The facts as known at this time are as follows:

(i) On Monday September 6 2010, First Citizens Bank (FCB) communicated with individuals at Udecott’s to confirm instructions for a wire transfer from Udecott to Putuo Ocean Fortune Limited in the amount of US$6,232,650.00. A copy of the wire transfer request letter was attached;

(ii) Upon enquiry into the matter by persons in the Finance department of Udecott and the purported signatories on the alleged wire transfer document it was realised that no such document was prepared by Udecott staff acting in the discharge of their functions and moreover that the document was not signed by the two individuals who appeared as the signatories. The document which was presented to FCB by facsimile transmission only and since ordered to be cancelled was therefore a forgery;

(iii) On closer examination of the document Udecott personnel are of the view that the document was pasted together using components from copies of one or more genuine documents. The source document from which the signatures of Mr Richard Freeman and Mr. Winston Chin Fong (the signatories) were lifted/copied has been identified. This document was an August 26 2010 wire transfer request made to Citicorp Merchant Bank;

(iv) Other markings such as the fax validation details on the forged document also indicate that it was a forgery;

(v) The fact that the August 26 2010 document issued to Citicorp was used in the attempted fraud strongly indicates that Udecott personnel who may have had access to this document were involved. In addition a certain amount of knowledge of Udecott’s banking details must also have been known to the perpetrators. In addition the account on which the wire transfer request was made is the one account with available funds to make this transfer;

(vi) The named beneficiary is not known to Udecott and there are no pending invoices for the beneficiary.

We enclose herewith the following documents for your perusal:

a. Faxed wire transfer request purportedly from Udecott to First Citizens Bank dated September 2 2010 marked “1”

b. Email from First Citizens Bank to Udecott dated September 6 2010 requesting confirmation of wire transfer request marked “2”

c. Wire transfer request from Udecott to Citicorp Merchant Bank dated August 26th 2010 bearing the signatures that were lifted marked “3”

The relevant officers of Udecott are prepared to give a statement if so required.

In the circumstances your assistance and co-operation to deal with this matter is requested.”

The document is signed by AG Anand Ramlogan.

According to police sources on Monday September 6, Richard Freeman Executive Manager Legal and Regulatory Services at Udecott received a call from First Citizens Bank asking him if he was aware of a wire transfer of US6,232,650 to Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation for the benefit of Putuo Ocean Fortune Limited which is located in Shanghai, China. Freeman reportedly told the bank that based on his own checks Udecott did not have any financial or business dealing with this company and any wire transfer would be deemed illegal. The fraudulent document now in the hands of the police which authorised the wire transfer has the fax number of Udecott and bore Freeman’s signature as well as that of another manager. The documents which were obtained by Sunday Newsday revealed the account number of the recipient of the funds as A/C#400-4679763-88.

The second letter was sent by FCB to various Udecott personnel asking them to “Please confirm wire transfer from Udecott to Putuo Ocean Fortune Limited in the amount of USD 6,232,658.00”.

Police sources revealed that the fraudulent document may be the work of persons at Udecott and Interpol is being brought in to assist in this high level probe which may involve assistance from the police in the district of Putuo, China. Yesterday Chairman of Udecott, Jerlean John, told Sunday Newsday that she had been advised of the issue. According to police sources, records from Udecott have so far indicated that Udecott never conducted any business with this company and the First Citizens Bank has been asked to do a check to ascertain if any previous wire transfers were done on behalf of Udecott for Putuo Ocean Fortune Limited. Sunday Newsday also understands that line Minister for Udecott, Mary King, was last week informed of the attempt to defraud Udecott of the large sum of money and an interim report was submitted to her. Udecott is now the subject of an ongoing probe by Government where it is alleged that billions of dollars belonging to the State remain unaccounted for. Up to yesterday the company was without a board, a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Operating Officer, a legal corporate officer. Recently five senior managers of Udecott were sent on suspension on full pay pending an investigation into the operations of Udecott.

[Jah Gol]

It's very possible that those guys got caught this time alone and other transactions could have slipped under the radar.

[weary1969]

It's very possible that those guys got caught this time alone and other transactions could have slipped under the radar.

ENTTTTTTT

[rotatopoti3]

UPP Gov't Recovers Over EC$32M, Several ALP Leaders Under Criminal Cloud
Submitted by UPP Team on 10 February 2009 - 5:06pm

In a historic development, your UPP Government has recovered over EC$32 million stolen from the Government of Antigua & Barbuda by the previous ALP regime and their corrupt cronies. This comprehensive and independent forensic report conducted by Bob Lindquist opens the door to criminal charges against several ALP politicians. Attorney General Justin Simon released the following statement:

Attorney General Simon's comments!

    Shortly after this Administration took office, I informed you by way of a Press Statement that the government had commissioned a financial forensic investigation and had secured the services of Mr. Robert Lindquist who had himself led like-investigations in Trinidad and Tobago where over Seven Million US Dollars of illegal payments to public officials had been recovered, and that he was instrumental in the arrests and prosecutions of persons involved in the Piarco International Airport scandal in Trinidad.

    It has been long in coming, but I can now advise you, the patient citizens and residents, that I now have in hand Mr. Lindquist's complete and comprehensive report on the IHI Debt Repayment Scheme. The Report traces the payment by government from December 1996 of the monthly sum of US$403,334 out of the consumption tax revenue paid by West Indies Oil Company to the various persons in receipt of these monies, with details of the companies through which the monies were sent, to what bank accounts, in which countries and how these monies were finally disbursed. These monthly sums were paid out of government funds pursuant to an irrevocable letter of instructions right up until February 2006, when I obtained an Injunction from the High Court in Antigua and Barbuda stopping the continuance of the payments, and freezing the bank account here in Antigua of an associated Florida company called Debt Settlement Administrators LLC.

    It was a gigantic conspiracy engineered and effected by persons in high places to rob this country of millions of dollars right up to the year 2021, a burden that would be carried by your children and your children's children. Consider this. These monthly payments were, by an Agreement dated September 11 1997, to be made over a period of 25 years beginning December 31 1996 (retrospectively nine (9) months before the Agreement was signed) and would have amounted to an aggregate payment of US$121,000,200. Out of that monthly sum of US$403,334 coming out of the Government Treasury, only US$199,740.25 would be legitimately paid to IHI Japan amounting to an aggregate sum of US$59,922,075 over the 25 years. In simple arithmetical terms, US$61,078,125 in excess of the total sum due IHI Japan would have been misappropriated out of the Treasury and gone 'ahgwasa' over that 25 year period.

    You will recall that in March 2006 I had advised by way of Press Statement that as Attorney General I had, on behalf of the Government, filed in the High Court of Antigua and Barbuda a civil claim in respect of the IHI matter for special damages in the sum of US$14,414,904 plus interest as well as general damages and exemplary damages for fraudulent misrepresentation and misfeasance in public office. The substantive Defendants in the claim are: Lester Bryant Bird, Asot Michael MP, Bellwood Services S.A. a Panamanian company, Patrick A. Michael Co. Ltd. an Antigua and Barbuda company, Bruce Rappaport, IHI Debt Settlement Company Ltd. a Hong Kong company, and Debt Settlement Administrators LLC of Florida.

    This morning I have caused to be served on all the defendants, through their respective local Counsel, a Notice of Discontinuance which will be filed in the High Court in respect of two of the defendants: Bruce Rappaport and his Hong Kong company IHI Debt Settlement Company Ltd. The effect of this notice is to inform the court and seek the court's permission to discontinue the civil claim against these two defendants only; the claim will continue to proceed against the other six substantial defendants and we expect that process to move speedily towards a hearing date from here on.

    The reason for discontinuing the civil action against Bruce Rappaport and his company IHI Debt Settlement Company Ltd. is simply this: after months of hard negotiations based on the information provided by Mr. Lindquist in his report, Mr. Rappaport, through his lawyers, has agreed to settle the claim against himself and his company by paying to the government the sum of US$12,000,000 in respect of our civil claim. I am pleased to advise that the government is in receipt of the payment. I will be advising our Counsel in Miami to take similar steps in respect of the pending Miami case whose status, as you know from my recent Statement to Parliament, is due for review in late May 2009.

    You will no doubt recognize the importance and significance of this recent development as this Administration seeks to recover through a number of civil actions the various monies and parcels of land which we allege were fraudulently appropriated by certain members of the former administration for their own personal gain and enrichment and to the detriment and financial pain of the people of this country.

This as an historic day for Antigua & Barbuda. EC$32 million has been recovered, that rightfully belong to the people's government. Now, the perpetrators of this great crime can be brought to justice.

[Flex]

$230M FOR UDECOTT CONTRACTORS
By Andre Bagoo Friday, April 15 2011

THE GOVERNMENT has agreed to underwrite a $230 million loan from the State-owned bank First Citizens to Udecott in order to allow the special purpose company to begin to satisfy millions in debt due to contractors.

Speaking at a Cabinet press-briefing yesterday, Acting Finance Minister Vasant Bharath yesterday announced that the Government would guarantee a $230 million credit facility that will “allow Udecott to be in a position to pay contractors.” The money will be made available in two phases: one phase involving $100 million and another $130 million. The First Citizens’ loan will come in at a rate of 5.25 percent interest, repayable over a period of five years.

“That’s to start to pay off a number of the bills that are due and have accrued over the last year and a half at Udecott to contractors,” Bharath said. “The Government is intent on meeting all of its obligations and paying all of its liabilities as soon as we possibly can and we will continue to look at outstanding amounts that are owed by the Government and the State.”

Bharath added, “The Ministry of Finance has been authorised to do the draw-down so it is almost with immediate effect.”

The announcement of the measure came amidst reports of cash-flow problems at Udecott. Bharath, acting in the absence of Finance Minister Winston Dookeran who is in Washington at meetings with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank until next Monday, could not say which contractors would be paid. He suggested that the Ministry of Finance would handle the matter on a “first in first out” basis. However, he assured that the funds would be available immediately.

Bharath could not say whether the funds would be applied to pay approximately $54 million submitted by Udecott contractor Shanghai Construction Group, the contractor of choice used to build the Prime Minister’s Residence and Diplomatic Centre among other projects.

Udecott chairman Jearlean John yesterday said the $230 million loan was welcomed. She said the money would be used to resuscitate projects where work has halted due to debts.

“What we are focusing on is resuscitating the projects which are now dormant and that need to be outfitted,” she said. “That figure might not be able to service the entire Udecott debt but it certainly we will go some way to servicing it.”

In an indication of cash-flow challenges for the state company in the absence of any new projects, John noted that Udecott’s debts were not just related to construction contractors.

“Udecott has money for multiple people whether for the supply of paper clips or building a large building or something else or support or security services,” she noted. “It is a project manager and without projects it earns no fees. For the last five months there have been no fees. This did not start with this government that started with the previous government.” President of the Trinidad and Tobago Contractors’ Association (TTCA) Mervyn Chin could not be reached for comment yesterday. However TTCA director–and a former president of the organisation who lobbied the State on the issue of debts to contractors — Mikey Joseph welcomed the news.

“I am no longer the president but as a past president who has been at the forefront of the issue of payment outstanding to contractors, without usurping the auspices of the president, I think this is overdue and I think it should be welcomed by our members who are owned money by Udecott,” he said. “I know of one contractor who has struggled for well over one year without payment.”

He said it was important that the money become available as soon as possible and said it represented hope for smaller contractors.

“It should give some encouragement. There is a difference between approving loans and accessing payment. The gestation period makes a big difference too,” he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Suraj Rambachan, who chaired yesterday’s media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, said the recommendations of the Uff Report into Udecott are still being reviewed by the State. With news emerging this week that the Uff Commission of Inquiry cost over $54 million, Rambachan hinted that the State will not shy away from pursuing civil action to recover money deemed to be lost due to corruption at Udecott under the PNM. Udecott remains under police probe.

[Flex]

Contractors welcome $230M payment
Monday, April 18 2011
T&T Newsday

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Contractors Association (TTCA) Mervyn Chin yesterday said Government’s decision to pay contractors was a positive step towards improving the industry.

Last Thursday at a Cabinet press-briefing acting Finance Minister Vasant Bharath announced that Government has agreed to underwrite a $230 million loan from the State-owned bank First Citizens to Udecott in order to allow the special purpose company to begin to satisfy millions in debt due to contractors.

“It is good news because Udecott has owed contractors for the last two years and this move by Government shows there is hope for the rest of payment to follow through.

It shows Government’s willing to settle their indebtedness, it is a positive step and we look forward to cooperating with them to resolve all of the issues.

As things begin to improve the industry will improve and we could continue to do the development that is of good to the nation,” he said. The money will be made available in two phases: one phase involving $100 million and another $130 million. The First Citizens’ loan will come in at a rate of 5.25 percent interest, repayable over a period of five years.

When asked whether the loan was signed Chief Executive Officer of First Citizens, Larry Howai, said he could not comment as that was a private issue between the bank and its customer.

[Flex]

UDECOTT PROBE BEGINS
By NALINEE SEELAL (Newsday).
Wednesday, June 15 2011

Canadian corruption-buster Bob Lindquist has been contracted by the People’s Partnership Government to conduct a two-week forensic probe into the misappropriation of billions of dollars from the State-owned Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott), and is expected to deliver his findings to Attorney General (AG) Anand Ramlogan.

This will be Lindquist’s second investigation of Udecott projects as he had also been hired by the previous PNM administration in 2009, months after the conclusion of the Uff Commission of Inquiry which recommended a further probe of contracts awarded by the special purpose company.

The findings of Lindquist’s first probe were never made public and it is unclear what has happened to the report.

Lindquist, a forensic accountant, arrived in the country early yesterday and was driven to the Office of the Attorney General at Cabildo Chambers, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, where he held discussions with Queen’s Counsel Allan Newman and Richard Freeman, a former legal officer at Udecott.

The meeting took place in the boardroom of the AG’s office and lasted for close to five hours.

Newsday understands that Lindquist was given documents in relation to contracts awarded by Udecott under its former executive chairman Calder Hart.

His latest investigation will centre on four Udecott projects: the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, the South Academy of the Performing Arts, San Fernando, the North Academy of the Performing Arts, Port-of-Spain and the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower, Port-of-Spain. Combined, the four projects have incurred multi-billion dollar cost overruns. Udecott’s line minister, Dr Roodal Moonilal, of the Housing Ministry, said an additional $100 million has to be sourced to complete the Tarouba stadium, the final cost of which is an estimated $1.1 billion.

Concerns have also been raised about the delayed South Academy of Performing Arts, in which it was discovered that construction materials were over-priced and there were flaws in structure, as well as possible breaches of approval rules of the Environmental Management Authority.Although completed and in use, the North Academy is also considered to have been over-priced with construction flaws. Chinese firm Shanghai Construction Group is the contractor for the two academies.

Lindquist is expected to meet with senior Udecott managers during his two-week forensic probe and may visit the sites of the four projects.

According to a source, “Lindquist will be looking at getting evidence of misconduct, abuse of power, fraud, and deceit, allegedly committed by those high-ranking management officials at Udecott prior to the May 24 General Election.”

Government had vowed on its election to office to investigate Udecott in keeping with the recommendations of the Uff Commission of Inquiry which had been initiated by the previous administration in 2009, in response to public outcry over corruption at the company.

Lindquist’s latest forensic report will be handed over to the AG, who will then seek legal advice on the findings to initiate civil action if necessary. The findings are also to be sent to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard for consideration of a criminal case.

Udecott sources said former officials may be called on to assist in the forensic probe.

Lindquist is expected to examine documents which the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB) seized during police raids at Udecott’s Port-of-Spain offices in 2009. The ACIB is a police unit of the Office of the AG.

According to sources, Hart, a Canadian, who is at the centre of the probe, will not be required to make himself available to answer questions regarding the award of contracts.

Hart has been personally linked to the Legal Affairs Tower project through his Malaysian wife Sherrine, whose brothers were directors of the Malaysian contractor Sunway Caribbean which constructed the multi-million dollar building.

Millions of dollars are still to be spent to outfit the tower which remains unoccupied.

A year ago, the police submitted a file to the DPP on the investigation of perjury allegations against Hart, who had denied his family link to Sunway. The DPP sent back the file to the police for further clarification, and up to yesterday officers had not yet completed this investigation. They have been asking for more time to complete the perjury probe.

Sources yesterday said it was this delay in the police probe which prompted the AG to explore civil action in relation to Udecott.

The AG’s lawyers are also considering civil action against former prime minister Patrick Manning, who had stoutly defending Hart while in office, even speaking to Hart about a police probe in early 2010. Days after this conversation, Hart resigned from Udecott and several State boards and his family left Trinidad. They have since settled in Miami.

The civil action would claim Hart breached his fiduciary, contractual and common law duties as Udecott executive chairman. Former prime minister Patrick Manning may also be subject to civil litigation arising out of the Lindquist probe.

The Manning case may also be linked to the stalled construction of a church at the Heights of Guanapo in Arima for his spiritual adviser Juliana Pena.

The corruption buster

Bob Lindquist is a forensic accountant who investigates multi-million dollar white-collar crimes.

He has visited Trinidad on several occasions to conduct forensic audits. He first visited Trinidad in the 1980s to probe John O’Halloran and Francis Prevatt under the PNM administration. The matter ended up in court both in Canada and the United States and resulted in Trinidad and Tobago being paid million of dollars in damages under the NAR government.

His second period of engagement started in September 2000 when he was hired, under the UNC, by then attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj to investigate the Piarco Airport contract. The PNM administration broadened his assignment to include investigations into a number of contracts negotiated under the UNC government. Lindquist was also brought in by the PNM administration to probe the Cleaver Heights and Landate projects.

In 2003, Lindquist began his probe into Desalcott. He recently carried out a forensic probe on the operations of Clico. In September 2009, the PNM claimed that it had hired Lindquist to probe Udecott in their award of contracts. This was only made public in 2010 by former attorney general John Jeremie.

[Dutty]

This Lindquist fellah probin since the 80's?.....the amount of boball he mus be see during his investigations mus be staggering

If he start to call people name, de country done

[Jah Gol]

They holding this  Udeocott card.

[elan]

UDECOTT back in de spotlight.....I guess the NP fiasco thing is last week, and de JW FIFA thing is last week also.